Stranger Things Season 5 revealed its second digitally de-aged character, but many would agree that it still doesn't look great. The highly anticipated final season of the Netflix original series aims to pay homage to previous seasons by bringing certain key character relationships to the forefront and answering unresolved questions, such as Will Byers' disappearance from Season 1.
The first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5 were unveiled following the Los Angeles premiere, and it finally gave a preview of what really happened to Will in the Upside Down. However, the mystery was subtly sidelined due to comments about the character's CGI during the flashback.
The five-minute opening sequence of Stranger Things Season 5 showed a CGI de-aged Will Byers as he goes face-to-face for the first time against Vecna (who has a massive redesign in the final season) after Will disappeared from Hawkins in 1983.
Will was 12 years old at the time of his disappearance, so the creators had to de-age actor Noah Schnapp for this scary sequence. This younger version of Will appears to be a mix of a real actor and CGI, and some have pointed out that the finished version doesn't look great.
Some of the criticisms from fans include pointing out that the sequence resembled a cut scene from a video game and was not perfect.
While the Upside Down's dim and blue-tinted atmosphere managed to hide some of the CGI's imperfections, it is apparent that the de-aged Will Byers doesn't look great.
For comparison, here is the best look at the two versions of young Will Byers between Season 1 and the flashback from Season 5.
This marks the second time that Stranger Things de-aged a character. The Netflix series featured a de-aged Eleven in the opening scene of Season 4, but the character appeared to be entirely CGI, set against a brightly lit background with minimal movement.
Stranger Things Season 5 is the show's swan song on Netflix, culminating in the game-changing showdown between Vecna and the heroes of Hawkins, led by Eleven and Hopper. Stranger Things brings back its core cast in Season 5, led by David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Sadie Sink.
The first four episodes will be released on November 26, 2025. The next three episodes will premiere on Christmas Day 2025, and the finale will bow on the streamer on New Year's Eve (December 31, 2025).
This CGI Issue Has Me Concerned About the Stranger Things' Best Fan Theory
Many have speculated that Stranger Things Season 5 will involve a plot point involving time travel, and this is perhaps the show's best fan theory.
While the flashback in the first five minutes appeared to tease the time travel element, the inconsistency involving the CGI of the young Will Byers has me concerned that revisiting the past would not work. Still, time travel could be effective if the heroes of Hawkins were to go back to recent time periods that would not require CGI for it to work, such as in Seasons 3 or 4.
Despite that, a good number of Stranger Things fans claimed that the flaws were not noticeable, and the show still looked great because the inconsistencies were easier to hide in the dark and in motion. Some even pointed out that the first five minutes were an excellent setup of Season 5's premise, and the flaw in the CGI should not be a primary concern.
Hopefully, more improvements to the final season's CGI in crucial scenes will be showcased once Season 5 arrives on Netflix, allowing it to produce a worthwhile experience for most fans.
