After a series of set-backs, the fifth and final season of Netflix's incredibly popular '80s throwback sci-fi horror series, Stranger Things, has officially entered production.
Cameras were all set to roll last year when the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes forced a significant delay, but the streamer has now announced that filming is underway.
We also have our first official look at season 5 via a production still featuring the entire returning cast.
The image features Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), and David Harbour (Jim Hopper).
A second photo with Joe Keery and Maya Hawke was also posted.
Several new cast members joined for this final run, including Terminator star Linda Hamilton, but they don't appear to be in the shot.
Season 5 of Stranger Things is expected to consist of eight episodes, with the first confirmed to be titled "The Crawl". No premiere date has been announced, but the show was set to return to our screens early next year prior to the delay. It may still arrive before the end of next year, but there's a slim chance it won't be ready until 2026.
During a recent interview, executive producer/director Shawn Levy was asked about the delay and whether the show's cast noticeably ageing is a concern.
"We’ve already watched the cast of our show grow up in the public eye, and between 12 and 22, every human being changes profoundly," he responded. "This passage of time is definitely not helping. That being said, our hair and makeup and wardrobe department are pretty exceptional, using costumes and wigs and makeup. The ’80s are also our friends in returning these young adult actors to their iconic Hawkins characters. So we’re going to use all of the tools available to us. And I know our cast is as eager to get back to work as the rest of us."
Since the events of the show play out over a much shorter time period than the seven years (can you believe it?) it's been on the air, the actors have been playing younger than they actually are for a while at this stage. However, it did become more noticeable for certain characters during the most recent season.
In the season 4 finale, Eleven and her friends managed to defeat the evil entity known as Vecna, but at great cost. Eddie was killed (there's been some speculation that he might return, but we're not buying it), and Max was left blind, broken and in a coma.
Vecna - who was ultimately revealed to be the deranged Henry Creel - was vanquished, but It was only a temporary victory, as the concluding moments of the episode confirmed that dark forces in the Upside-down are amassing for what will almost certainly be a massive final battle.
Are you up to date with Stranger Things? If so, what do you hope to see from this final season?