After a lengthy break, filming for "Stranger Things" season five is underway, but without a key cast member.
Eduardo Franco, who appeared in season four as the pizza delivery boy Argyle in the Netflix show, has confirmed he will not be reprising his role.
Speculation first emerged that Franco would not return when he did not appear in a photo of the cast that was released from the first day of filming, as noted by the Independent.
Argyle soon became a fan favorite, when he was introduced as the best friend of Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) after the Byers family relocated from Hawkins, Indiana, to California.
Having made it out of the previous season alive, fans expected that he would show up again in the show in some capacity. But earlier this week he laid the rumors to rest during an interview with YouTuber Steve Varley.
"Before I let you go, I just want to ask real quick, because it's on everyone's mind," Varley said to Franco. "You don't have to answer this, but fans kind of went to a panic with the cast photo of day one of 'Stranger Things' season five. Now they're thinking you're not in the season. Can you give us hopes that you are? And can you say anything if not?"
In reply, Franco admitted he never got a call back.
"It's nice to hear that there's some sort of, you know, concern or something, you know what I mean? But I've never, I never got a phone call. So yeah, I think that's it," he said.
Series creators Matt and Ross Duffer revealed early in 2022 that the show would end with a fifth season. However, production faced a seven-month pause due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023.
The final season of "Stranger Things" is expected to land on Netflix later in 2024.
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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