The entertainment world breathed a collective sigh of relief when, on September 24, the Writers Guild of America and major studios reached a tentative agreement ending the four-month WGA strike. Still, the showbiz rollercoaster is far from over. While the writers are set to return to work, creatives like those on the Stranger Things team are still grappling with the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. In a playful series of tweets, the writers of Season 5 playfully teased Joe Keery‘s potentially wild hairdo if the SAG strike lingers. Plus, they humorously hinted that the quirky visuals serve as our first sneak peek at the upcoming season.
The official Stranger Things writers account account on X (formerly Twitter) offered fans a “sneak peek” into the show’s upcoming fifth season, which we know a bit about already. In their first tweet, they shared a humorous CGI image of Joe Keery as the iconic Steve Harrington, complete with his signature high hairdo. The caption joked, “Let’s hope the studios strike a fair deal with SAG soon, or else the fifth season might just feature this hairstyle.” Look at the mind-boggling photo below, which sees Keery’s hair defiying all the known laws of physics:
Hope the studios make a fair deal with SAG soon or else season 5 is looking like this: pic.twitter.com/GC2ok142jJSeptember 28, 2023
The cheeky scribes followed up the yuks with another post that contained a vital piece of information. They revealed:
FYI, this is pre-vis for a scene in ep 1. So technically, your first look at season 5. We told Joe he has to perform it EXACTLY like this.
These tweets are bound to make fans eagerly awaiting the next season laugh. They also hint that Steve is still alive and kicking, defying fan expectations and managing to survive—at least for a while in Season 5. Additionally, the account explained pre-vis for those unfamiliar with the term. It clarified:
It’s rough animation of a scene. We only do it for scenes involving lots of VFX or complex action.
The team had one more surprise up their sleeves, too. In a sneak peek from their pre-visualization, they showcased Charlie Heaton, known for his role as Jonathan Byers, alongside Joe Keery in a scene that hinted at the involvement of some kind of explosive device. (This could tie into the mysterious video of a wrecked Scoops Ahoy , which was shared weeks ago.) Nevertheless, they couldn’t help but add some humor to the mix by dropping in a funny caption. Dive into this amusing, yet intriguing, sneak peek below:
They did Charlie dirty pic.twitter.com/NOWxnTou4lSeptember 29, 2023
Agreed. That is a vacant face straight out of my nightmares.
While these Season 5 teasers offer fun insights, they also highlight the ongoing labor dispute in the industry. The SAG-AFTRA strike remains a concern, with actors and their supporters fighting for fair pay and better working conditions. This writing team’s playful take on the situation reminds us that, despite the setbacks, they’re committed to delivering another thrilling season, even if it means poking fun at wild hairdos.
As negotiations between SAG-AFTRA and the studios persist, Stranger Things fans can take solace in knowing that the show’s creative minds are diligently working. While we eagerly await the strike’s resolution and a glimpse of Hawkins’ future, one detail is certain: Joe Keery’s hair will be a hot topic when Season 5 finally graces our screens.
Stranger Things is set to end after its fifth season, and that likely means an emotional journey lies ahead for all of Hawkins fans as the story comes to a close for some fan-favorite and stand-out characters. While we wait for the ongoing strike to come to a close, it’s about time we revisit the entire series, which is now streaming for anyone with a Netflix subscription. There are also plenty of promising 2023 Netflix shows to hold you over while you wait.