Stranger Things Season 2 Headed Towards a ‘Grand Plan’ and ‘Blinking Light’

Stranger Things season 2 is still months away, but as we draw closer to the premiere, more and more details come out.

Writers Matt and Ross Duffer shared a couple of more details with Deadline over the weekend. Here are the highlights:

(Sean) Astin is just the latest star of the ’80s they’ve cast in Stranger Things, further cementing the show’s uncanny channeling of the decade that other retro projects have summarily failed to capture. As well as Matthew Modine, who starred in a string of ’80s hits, the first season of the show cast Winona Ryder, who made her big-screen debut in Lucas in 1986, while Season 2 also adds Paul Reiser, of Beverly Hills Cop and Aliens fame.

SEAN ASTIN AND PAUL REISER??!?!?!?! WHY DO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL HALLOWEEN?!?!?! No, this isn’t new news, but I’m still excited. I like that the Duffer brothers just cast awesome people from the 80’s in this show. I really hope Danica McKeller is in season 3. Also, the entire cast of Cheers.

“But it’s interesting because we get to spend some time with our characters when they’re not worried about their lost friend. We get to see some other sides to them upfront.”

This is something that has previously been mentioned by the kids and I’m interested to see how their lives change now that their friend is back.

“You have a grand plan, but then you discover so much cool stuff on the day,” argues Matt. “But I feel like we tend to have guard rails set up, because we do know generally where we want to go. And then you get to play inside that.”

“We’ve learned not to fight it as much,” admits Ross. “That you had this plan for where this character was going, and then you get here and you’re like, ‘Whoa, I don’t believe in it anymore.’” There is, though, an end goal in sight. “We have a blinking light that we’re headed toward.”

Take note, pro wrestling. Don’t just write scripts on a napkin an hour prior to shooting. Have a plan, but be able to adapt.

Shannon Purser’s Barb was, herself, kidnapped by the Demogorgon, and though there was a pretty clear coda about her unfortunate fate towards the end of the season, many believe she hasn’t disappeared forever.

So is that the Duffers’ final image? “Yeah,” laughs Ross. “It’s going to be Barb’s hand reaching out from the grave. Cut to black.”

There’s no way Barb is dead at the moment, but I feel like a major character will die this season. This won’t have a happy ending for everyone.