Netflix’s “Stranger Things” has been one of its biggest draws in the streaming service’s history, so it is financially rewarding the expansive cast for its fifth and final season with substantive pay raises, according to Puck News.
Puck News, a subscription news outlet that covers Hollywood, said the entire cast negotiated together except for Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven and has an existing deal with Netflix that includes the “Enola Holmes” movies and an upcoming Russo Brothers film “The Electric State,” which is shooting in Atlanta right now.
Salaries were placed in tiers. In total, Puck estimates the cast budget to be around $80 million.
The two actors in the top tier are the big adult names: Winona Ryder and David Harbour. Both are receiving $9.5 million apiece, up from $2.8 million for season three.
The four original season one younger male actors are in tier two: Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp and Finn Wolfhard, will pocket $7 million. Season two entry Sadie Sink, who truly shined in season four, is part of that tier as well. (Puck News said the four original cast members received about $200,000 for season one.)
The older teens and young adults are in tier three: Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery and Maya Hawke. They will receive about $6 million each.
The other 10 regulars, including Brett Gelman, Atlanta’s Priah Ferguson, Jamie Campbell Bower and Cara Buono, are in the fourth tier. Puck News didn’t ascertain their pay levels, only noting they were compensated significantly less than the top 10.
Netflix is planning eight episodes for season five. Production in metro Atlanta has not yet started, but reports say the streaming service is aiming for a start date later in the spring after Brown’s “Electric State” concludes shooting in April.
This means season five won’t likely debut until 2024 at the earliest, eight years after the show’s debut.
The show is by no means easy to shoot. Production schedules are long and often involves extensive CGI work.
