TV & Movies
Stranger Things Creators Shut Down Theories Predicting Eddie’s Return
Joseph Quinn has been “toying with people,” according to Matt Duffer.
The Duffer brothers have ruled out one possible Stranger Things Season 5 surprise. Ahead of the show’s final season, creators Matt and Ross Duffer addressed the popular fan theory that fan-favorite character Eddie Munson will return. Though actor Joseph Quinn has teased that he could be back in some capacity, the co-showrunners shut down the idea.
RIP, Eddie
When Quinn’s Eddie arrived in Season 4, he quickly charmed fans. His run on the show wasn’t meant to last, though. Eddie died in the season finale, sacrificing himself to protect the others. Some fans hoped he’d make a return in Season 5, but the Duffers recently told Empire magazine he’s gone for good.
“I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people! But no, he’s dead,” Matt Duffer said. “Joe is so busy anyway, that everyone should know he’s not coming back. He’s shot like five movies since! When the hell has he got time to come and shoot Stranger Things?”
Really driving home the point, he added, “No, sadly, RIP. He’s fully under that ground.”
Despite the firm response, some fans still aren’t convinced. In a Reddit thread on the subject, one fan wrote, “I don’t believe for a second he won’t have a cameo.” Another highlighted one of the words Matt used, pointing out that the Upside Down is “under.”
Teasing A Return
Matt Duffer’s comments followed a summer of intriguing quotes from Quinn that teased some kind of return. In June, an Entertainment Tonight reporter told Quinn she had the feeling “we might see Eddie again.” He fanned the flames of speculation, responding, “I might have that feeling, too. Or maybe I don’t. Who knows? I don't know!”
The following month, he told Extra, “There’s always a chance for anything, isn’t there, really. Nothing’s impossible.”
Quinn has been busy since Stranger Things Season 4, but the show is near and dear to him. On Josh Horowitz’s Happy Sad Confused podcast in July 2024, he sang his colleagues praises. “I had such a great gang on that, and that’s the thing,” he said. “It’s like, they are such wonderful, consummate, talented actors on that show, and it’s a testament to the brothers and how they handle casting.”
If Eddie is truly gone, he got a poignant arc, as Quinn previously told Netflix’s Tudum. “When I signed on for Stranger Things, I didn’t know that Eddie was going to die,” he said. “The first time I read the death scene, I remember thinking that this is a beautifully written scene, and I’ve got a wonderful actor to get into that with, so I remember feeling quite lucky. It’s the tale of redemption, which I think kind of is what we like as an audience.”
Stranger Things Season 5 premieres on Nov. 26.
