“Stranger Things has...”- 'The Shawshank Redemption's Frank Darabont on What Made Him Come out of Retirement for The Netflix Show

Published 09/28/2024, 9:05 PM EDT

The Duffer Brothers, aka the saviors of Netflix, turned Stranger Things into a record-breaking show with their pure genius. But they have not been the only ones in charge. Shawn Levy, for instance, directed several episodes, including the unforgettable Dear Billy in season 4. Uta Briesewitz is another name who took the director’s seat in the third season of Stranger Things. It was back in July, when Netflix dropped a behind-the-scenes featurette for the final season, that they confirmed the rumors of Frank Darabont being yet another director on board.

Now, the legendary director has himself revealed why he decided to return to direct Stranger Things Season 5, despite his retirement. 

Frank Darabont on directing Stranger Things season 5

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Frank Darabont, known for The Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile, had not directed anything since Mob City in 2013. During an interview with The Daily Beast, Darabont explained why he decided to break his decade-long retirement to direct the final season of Stranger Things. "What really dragged me out of retirement was that my wife and I really love this show,” explained the Oscar-nominated director.

Darabont shared that, in a time, when most shows are full of "horrible people doing horrible things,” the Duffer Brothers’ show brings something warmer despite its horror angle. “Stranger Things has so much heart,” Darabont added. It was this “positivity” that convinced him to come out of retirement. While he did not say what or how many episodes he would direct, Shawn Levy did hint at his episodes.

Gaten Matarazzo Gives Fans a Little Teaser About the Start of 'Stranger Things' Season 5 

Earlier this year, Levy mentioned that things might change a little this time when it comes to him directing Stranger Things.

Shawn Levy subtly revealed his part in directing Stranger Things Season 5

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In an interview with Collider’s Steve Weintraub at CinemaCon, Shawn Levy was asked which episode he would be directing for the upcoming season of Stranger Things. While Levy did hesitate a little, unsure if he was in the clear to share that kind of information, he did drop a hint. “You can do the math,” said Levy. He hinted that while he usually directs the 3rd and 4th episodes, this time, things might not be the same.

Levy confirmed that he would be taking on a “later episode.” When asked if he would also be in charge of the finale, the director simply replied, “That's all Duffer's, as it should be.” This means there is a good chance that Frank Darabont might direct some of the earlier episodes in Stranger Things season 5. 

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Joseph Quinn Reacts to Speculation About His ‘Stranger Things 5’ Comeback in the Most Eddie Munson Way

What do you think about Frank Darabont's interview? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

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Hriddhi Maitra

1703 articles

Hriddhi Maitra is a Hollywood News reporter at Netflix Junkie. An enthusiastic movie buff, Hriddhi found her true calling when she worked as a Cinema Content Writer at My Cinema Story while analyzing movies objectively, and offering constructive feedback. Coming from a background where she worked in different niches like finance, food, travel, medicines, automobile, and entertainment, we can safely say she is a jack of all trades.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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