The writers’ strike ended after 148 days, the second longest in Writers Guild of America (WGA) history. The guild leadership has voted to conclude the strike on Wednesday, September 27, after reaching a deal with Hollywood streamers and studios. As WGA has officially authorized its 11,500 members to return to work, one of the earliest to give a production update is the Stranger Things writers. So, is Stranger Things Season 5 back in production?
In May, the Duffer Brothers, who created the hit Netflix series, said in a tweet that the fifth season’s production would not begin until the WGA strike is over. Though they were all excited to start the final season’s filming, it wouldn’t be possible with the strike ongoing back then. But now that it has finally concluded, it looks like the cameras will soon start rolling.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the series’ writers posted a white photo with the text “We’re back,” seemingly confirming the show’s production has begun. Sure, that might only be two simple words, but that made a great impact on Stranger Things Season 5’s future. Many even celebrated the news, with fans filling the comment section with excitement. As of this writing, the tweet already has over a thousand comments, about 9,000 shares, and 65,000 likes.
What is the WGA deal?
On Tuesday, the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), which represents the studios and streamers, finally reached a deal to end the strike. This agreement includes higher pay, streaming bonuses, minimum staffing, and protection against artificial intelligence (AI).
The WGA West board and WGA East council reportedly approved the deal. It was then unanimously recommended by the guild’s negotiating committee. The deal’s total value was $233 million, a huge increase from AMPTP’s offer of $86 million. However, this deal is only tentative, as union members still have to vote to ratify the contract, which will happen on October 2 and October 9.
Alternatively, the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFRTA) is still on strike. So far, the union has yet to reach a settlement with AMPTP. In a post on Instagram, the group says it has no confirmed dates scheduled to meet with the AMPTP yet.
By the looks of it, the show’s writers’ return to work is the only confirmed production update for Stranger Things Season 5. But with the end of the WGA strike, many hope SAG-AFTRA will finally reach a settlement.
