Stranger Things fans say goodbye to Eddie Munson for good

Eddie Munson isn’t coming back. The beloved character from Stranger Things won’t appear in the show’s final season, creators Matt and Ross Duffer have confirmed.

Addressing long-running rumours about Eddie’s return, the Duffer brothers told a British film magazine that actor Joseph Quinn’s packed schedule makes a comeback impossible. “I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people! But no, he’s dead,” Matt Duffer said. “He’s shot like five movies since. When would he have time to come back? Sadly, RIP. He’s fully under that ground.”

Eddie’s heroic death in Season 4—where he sacrifices himself to save his friends from Demobats—cemented his place as a fan favourite, and his final scene remains one of the most talked-about moments in the series.

Since leaving Hawkins, Joseph Quinn has stayed busy, starring in films including Hoard, A Quiet Place: Day One, Gladiator II, Warfare, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

While Eddie is gone, familiar faces will return in Season 5, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Maya Hawke, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, and Joe Keery. Fans can also expect a new character: Linda Hamilton joins as Dr. Kay, a sharp, tough government agent hunting down Eleven. Matt Duffer describes her as “hyper-intelligent and intimidating… a scientist who can fight and shoot if needed.”

Season 5 will drop in three parts across the holidays: Volume 1 on November 26 (four episodes), Volume 2 on Christmas (three episodes), and the finale on New Year’s Eve.

Produced by Upside Down Pictures and 21 Laps Entertainment, the final season sees the Duffer brothers executive producing alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen.