Linda Hamilton Joins Stranger Things; Eddie Excluded

The Duffer brothers confirmed Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) is dead and will not return for Stranger Things Season 5, citing Quinn's increasingly busy film career. Showrunners and outlets pointed to Quinn's recent credits — Hoard, A Quiet Place: Day One, Gladiator II, Warfare and The Fantastic Four: First Steps — as a practical reason for his unavailability. Many principal cast members are set to return, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Priah Ferguson, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, David Harbour, Winona Ryder and Brett Gelman. Linda Hamilton will join Season 5 as Dr. Kay, a hyper‑intelligent, intimidating government agent hunting Eleven. Netflix plans to release the final season in three parts around the holidays — Volume 1 on Nov. 26, Volume 2 on Dec. 25 and the finale on Dec. 31 — and showrunners say they filmed for a year capturing more than 650 hours of footage for their biggest, most personal season; outlets report talks that the finale may also receive a limited theatrical event.