A new, Target-exclusive companion guide, titled Stranger Things: The Official Story behind the Legendary Series by Gina McIntyre, has been released, offering fans a deep dive into the acclaimed Netflix series. This hardcover book features exclusive content, including previously unseen creature concept art, costume photography, in-world ephemera, script excerpts, and blueprints.
Co-created by series architects Matt and Ross Duffer, the guide also includes candid interviews with the cast and crew. Hidden within its pages is a secret code that unlocks additional bonus content for dedicated fans. The book aims to provide a comprehensive look at the show from its inception through its conclusion, delving into its mythology and character development.
One significant focus of the guide is the fifth and final season. Set in the fall of 1987, the season sees the characters confronting the rifts appearing in Hawkins and uniting to find and defeat Vecna. The narrative revisits the inciting event of the series: Will Byers's disappearance on November 6, 1983. The Duffer Brothers stated their intention to fully explore Will's experiences in the Upside Down and how those events shaped him leading into the final season. "Will's so off-screen in season one; we've always been curious about what exactly happened to him," Matt Duffer remarked. "Now, we can dramatize that and then tie it directly into Vecna and the events of season five."
The final season's plot involves Hawkins being torn apart by Vecna's rifts, leading to the creation of a military-controlled zone known as the "MAC-Z." Despite the restrictions, characters like Hopper and his group undertake dangerous missions to hunt for Vecna. Concurrently, government forces, including Dr. Kay, are searching for Eleven, who has been refining her powers under Hopper and Joyce's guidance. Vecna, meanwhile, is manipulating the psychic energy of Hawkins's children, including Holly Wheeler, to enhance his own abilities and draw the dimension known as the Abyss into their world, threatening civilization.
The guide emphasizes the importance of character growth, with Matt Duffer noting, "We're not very interested in exploring characters who are static." He added that the show aims to depict characters experiencing ups and downs, learning from their mistakes, and becoming better individuals, countering the modern expectation of constant perfection.
Recreating Young Will
To accurately portray Will Byers in season five, particularly during scenes set earlier in his timeline, the production team collaborated with Weta FX. They developed a digital double of Noah Schnapp's face, combining footage of actor Luke Kokotek, who performed Will's early season actions, with Schnapp's own performance. Schnapp described the acting process as a unique challenge, where he had to convey intense emotions and actions, such as running and looking back in fear, with only facial movements. He expressed astonishment at the realism achieved by the VFX team in recreating his younger self.
Stranger Things: The Official Story behind the Legendary Series is available exclusively at Target and is priced at $50.