Netflix's Stranger Things came to an end in 2025, but several cast members would be willing to reprise their roles given the opportunity. The sci-fi series created by the Duffer Brothers began in 2016 and became a global phenomenon in the following decade, turning its young cast members into household names. Netflix quickly turned Stranger Things into a franchise with spin-offs and prequels, but the flagship show came to a firm conclusion with the end off Season 5.
Knowing how the story ends hasn't prevented some of Stranger Things' leads from wanting to return to their roles. The series built a beloved cast featuring three generations of actors in its kids, teens, and adults bubbles, and many have gone on to do significant things with the popularity Stranger Things has given them.
While Netflix hasn't confirmed any sort of live-action sequel or prequel for Stranger Things involving the same characters, the Duffer Brothers have supposedly had an idea for a spin-off. Netflix is also investing in the Stranger Things franchise, so there's certainly a possibility the streamer would want to capitalize on the existing cast for future projects. But which of them would be willing to return?
Stranger Things Cast Members Who Have Said They Want to Reprise Their Roles
Stranger Things has an expansive cast and a few have already shared their willingness to return as their characters. One cast member who said they were not done with their character is Millie Bobby Brown, who starred as Eleven in the show.
Brown told The Playlist that she "would love" to do a follow-up story with Eleven later in her life. The problem with that is it's not even clear whether Eleven survived the events of Stranger Things, with the ending heavily suggesting she sacrificed herself to end the threat of the Upside Down. Brown acknowledged the finale was a "hard pill to swallow," but added that she would love to see what El is "doing in her 30s:"
"Oh, I would love that. I’m not finished with Elle. I love her so much. I was very pleased with the ending, but it was a hard pill to swallow. I would love to see what she could be doing in her 30s. I’d be interested to see that. I hope everyone else would be, but that’s if she’s alive.”
Another of the show's young co-leads who grew up on Stranger Things is Finn Wolfhard, who played the kids' courageous D&D Dungeon Master Mike Wheeler. Wolfhard has moved on to acting and directing other projects since his time on Stranger Things, even launching his own music career, but the star still has a soft spot for the Netflix show.
Wolfhard shared to Variety during the Stranger Things 5 press tour that he "hopes it's not" the real end for Stranger Things:
"I don’t think I’ll ever truly feel like it’s the end. The show will live on in so many ways that I hope it still feels relevant to people years down the line. As far as the actual end of the story goes, I don’t know. I mean, there’s a reason why we ended it, and it’s done. But who’s to say that the Duffers, in 10 years, when they get another idea, they do it? It’s up to them. I think it’s good that it’s the end, but part of me hopes it’s not."
Another star who has had no shortage of roles off the back of her Stranger Things success is Sadie Sink, who was introduced in Season 2 of the show as Max. Like the others in the D&D party, Max ended the series in a positive place, graduating high school and in a happy relationship with Lucas. This leaves the door open for Max to return in future, although Sink herself is quite busy having just booked a leading role in the MCU as Jean Grey.
Around the time of Stranger Things 5's release, Sink told The Hollywood Reporter that she "could do it again" adding that she didn't feel like she'd "said goodbye to Max yet."
I mean, I’m so happy with the way it ends. I feel like we’ve left it all out on the table and it’s at a good closing point, but I don’t know. I could do it again. Because I love that set so much and I love the character. I don’t think I really said goodbye to Max yet. I don’t think I ever really will.
Another of Stranger Things' breakout stars was Maya Hawke, who became an important part of the gang after befriending Steve in Season 3. Robin went off to attend college in Massachusetts after the Upside Down was conquered, but she remained friends with Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan.
Hawke quickly lined up roles in Hollywood films like Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping and One Night Only after the conclusion of Stranger Things, but she wasn't opposed to the idea of a spin-off when asked about it by Music Musings & Such. Hawke even pitched an idea of seeing "Robin and Hopper as a duo:"
"I’ve always thought a really fun spinoff would be her having to come back to Hawkins and become a low-level traffic officer under David Harbour. Robin and Hopper, as a duo that should never be, would be the most fun, weird duo option of different vibes. I would love to watch Hopper be really annoyed by Robin all the time. I think they would play off each other nicely.”
Will Byers' older brother, Jonathan (played by Charlie Heaton), became an integral member of the young adult Stranger Things gang, with his will-they-won't-they relationship with Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) one of the core parts of his narrative. Jonathan and Nancy didn't end up together in the finale, with the pair mutually deciding to break up and Jonathan ending up at NYU Film School.
This ending for Jonathan in itself has led to a spin-off idea among fans who want to see Jonathan's indie films come to life as their own project, which Heaton told The Hollywood Reporter he would "love." The actor added that decades down the line he may be open to a Stranger Things spin-off, hinting that "you never know," and that he's "excited to see what they do next."
"I mean, how can you say? Twenty years from now is such a long time. You still need time to process this right now. It only just ended. But I’m so excited to see what they do next, even outside of the franchise. I think for them to reach the end here and get to ask that question: 'What do we do now?' I think that’s great. But we are a family. And I do think it’s finally hitting us all that it’s over. We have a group chat, and it’s clear that it’s hit us at different points. It’s still not fully realized that we’ve said goodbye to it. Usually we go back to film around midway through the year. So I think there will be all these little moments where we realize it’s over. But you know, their original idea was to do season one, and then have season two set 15 years later. So you never know…"
Netflix is already working on expanding the Stranger Things universe, with 2026 bringing the animated prequel, Stranger Things: Tales from '85, which saw new actors take over the voice roles of the original characters. Beyond that Netflix has yet to commission any further television or movie spin-offs set in the universe.
That said, reunions and revivals decades down on from popular season finale's are all the rage in Hollywood, so it's not hard to imagine that some sort of revival of the show with the original cast isn't already being thought up.
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