Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’ returns May 27 after three-year break

The show was in part delayed by the pandemic but there were other reasons: the creators the Duffer Brothers are super detail-oriented, possess an ample budget with multiple shooting locations in Eastern Europe, Georgia and New Mexico and are bestowed a long shooting schedule. They have earned it given the show’s worldwide popularity. There is also a need for a lot of time for post-production CGI work. Filming wrapped more than seven months ago.

The challenge of the show is the passage of time for the kids themselves, since many began the show entering puberty but are now college age. And the amount of time that has passed fictionally is not the same as the amount of time that has actually gone by.

In the story, only six months have passed since the Starcourt Mall was effectively destroyed and the Byers family left Hawkins, Indiana. As Netflix notes: “Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time ― and navigating the complexities of high school hasn’t made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.”

Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler, is now 19. Millie Bobby Brown, the breakout star who plays Eleven, is now 18. Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers, is now 17. Gaten Matarazzo, who plays Gavin Henderson, is 19. Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas Sinclair, is now 20. Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield, is 19. And Atlanta star Priah Ferguson, who plays Lucas’ bratty younger sister, is now 15.