With the strikes over, it’s time to look forward to plenty of fan-favorite shows returning, including Stranger Things. The hit Netflix sci-fi series is heading into its fifth and final season, meaning that there is a world of possibilities when it comes to what the series will include to wrap it all up. While it’s likely more deaths on Stranger Things are coming, could fans also expect some familiar faces to come back from beyond? While it's not impossible, one face fans shouldn’t expect is Sean Astin’s Bob Newby, and the actor has a pretty good reason why.
One of the biggest heartbreaks of Stranger Things came early on when Bob sacrificed himself and was killed by demo-dogs while saving Hawkins Lab. In 2019, Astin admitted that Bob didn’t need justice because he “died a hero’s death.” More or less, that sentiment has stuck with the actor four years later. Via The Direct, the Goonies star discussed Stranger Things during his appearance at LA Comic-Con, and he revealed why it wouldn’t make sense for Bob to return for Season 5 of Stranger Things, no matter how they did it:
But why couldn't they do a flashback [for Season 5]... to a happier time with...? I know why they won't. Because it's going to be Hopper and Joyce, and they're not going to want to flashback to a time when she was actually happy.
While fans would love to see Bob one more time before Stranger Things ends, Sean Astin does make a good point. The series has been pushing Joyce and Hopper together for a while now. That doesn’t necessarily mean the Lord of the Rings star doesn’t want to come back. However, he understands the character and the show, and knowing that Bob got a hero’s death and Joyce is happy with someone else, there’s no need to undo all that. Perhaps if it was in a different way, fans could see Bob briefly return. As of now, don’t look forward to it.
Fans are probably still going to be hoping to see Bob or Barb or Eddie come back from the dead somehow. While we have absolutely no idea if that that will happen, we know the Duffer Brothers trying not to include new characters in Season 5, and it will go back to its Season 1 roots with Will being a big part of the storyline.
No matter what happens in Season 5, it’s going to be an emotional end. Many stars have reacted to Stranger Things' conclusion, with David Harbour saying he was excited to “wrap it up in a gold, amazing way,” and Millie Bobby Brown noting that she is ready to move on. Meanwhile, Finn Wolfhard isn’t ready to say goodbye, but he is anxious to get back to work regardless. And even though Sean Astin doesn't see Bob returning for the show, it seems like he understands the story and is excited to see how it comes to an end.
As of now, a premiere date for Stranger Things 5 has yet to be announced. With the strikes pushing a lot of shows back, it’s hard to tell if it will be premiering on the 2024 TV schedule, and it wouldn’t be surprising if it dropped in 2025. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for a Netflix subscription to watch the first four seasons of Stranger Things before the final season.
