The fifth and final season of Netflix’s Stranger Things revisits the night of Will Byers’ abduction, but with the challenge of making Noah Schnapp look like he did nine years ago. To address the time gap, the production used advanced methods for Noah Schnapp deaging Stranger Things in key flashback scenes at the start of Season 5.
Adapting to Cast Changes Over Nearly a Decade
Since Stranger Things initially premiered in 2016, the series has spanned nearly a decade, and its main actors—including Schnapp—now look significantly older than they did in the beginning. The creators faced a complicated task with scenes set during Will Byers’ original disappearance, needing him to appear the same age he was in the very first season. This prompted the creative team to employ de-aging technology for an authentic portrayal.
How Will Byers Was De-aged for New Scenes
To recreate the youthful Will in Season 5, 11-year-old Luke Kokotek was brought in as Noah Schnapp’s body double. According to Deadline, Weta FX handled the technical aspects, digitally compositing Schnapp’s face onto Kokotek. Throughout filming, Schnapp advised Kokotek to ensure the movements and expressions matched Will’s character from years before. Schnapp’s guidance allowed Kokotek to embody the role convincingly, while Weta FX combined their talents to deliver a seamless performance for viewers. Importantly, Shawn Levy, the show’s executive producer, publicly stated in 2023 that artificial intelligence would not be used to de-age the cast. This indicates the team remained committed to this stance for the final season as well, relying solely on visual effects and practical acting support.
Stranger Things Previously De-aged Eleven Using Similar Methods
This approach is not entirely new to Stranger Things. In the show’s fourth season, Millie Bobby Brown’s character, Eleven, also underwent de-aging for flashbacks showing her time at Hawkins Lab and her confrontation with Vecna. As with Will’s scene, the production used a body double to capture Eleven’s earlier years and digitally altered Brown’s appearance to achieve a believable look.
Noah Schnapp looked to his co-star Millie Bobby Brown for advice on navigating the de-aging process. He reflected on the experience as comparable to stepping into a director’s shoes, contemplating how he portrayed Will years ago. Schnapp described working on these scenes as “a fun experience,” expressing satisfaction with how the challenging de-aging turned out and noting that the final result was “pretty well.”
The Impact on Storytelling and Viewer Experience
The use of de-aging technology in Stranger Things demonstrates how the series adapts to the inevitable passage of time and growing cast, ensuring that important narrative callbacks remain visually credible. Audiences are able to revisit storylines that tie the latest season back to pivotal events from Season 1, enhancing continuity for long-time fans.
As Stranger Things concludes with its fifth season, the careful approach taken with Noah Schnapp’s character indicates a commitment to both technical innovation and narrative authenticity. With Will Byers’ story now coming full circle and the creative team prioritizing practical effects over artificial intelligence, viewers can expect a return to the show’s emotional roots as well as its signature suspense and drama. This technical feat not only bridges the past and present in the show’s timeline, but also sets a benchmark for how established series can approach similar challenges in future storytelling.
