Horror Report

Tag: stranger things

  • The potential ending to The Stranger Things universe

    The potential ending to The Stranger Things universe

    A lot of people are upset by the twists and turns that Stranger Things Season 5 has taken. Some fans are enraged, others are bored, and a surprising number were so confused that they needed The Duffer Brothers themselves to confirm what the plot actually was.
    So let’s talk predictions.


    The final episode drops on New Year’s Eve, both on Netflix and in theaters. We’ll be among the people seeing it in a theater on New Year’s Day, which means I’ll be shutting off every facet of the internet and social media until about 5:15 p.m. on January 1st. I really don’t want the ending spoiled.
    That said, let’s talk about the ending.. at least what could be cool.


    A lot of people have said that an ending where the boys are revealed to be sitting around a table ten years ago, finishing a Dungeons & Dragons game, with everything revealed as just a story, would be a terrible ending. I’ve come around to thinking it wouldn’t be so bad. It would mean Eleven never existed and everything we saw was imagined. That’s bold, and honestly, it might work.


    Another theory that’s been floating around involves a scene we haven’t seen yet, Hopper talking to an adult Mike on a bench. Maybe instead of a traditional ending, they figure out the wormhole and travel back to November 6, 1983, preventing Will Byers from ever being taken by the Demogorgon. But in doing so, they create a reverberation where many other things never happen, friendships never form, lives take different paths, and Mike never becomes who he was supposed to be. That’s an interesting concept too.


    Now for a crazy theory. The show would have to be brave to pull this off—and history suggests they won’t, because they’ve chickened out every time they’ve had the chance—but it’s strange how Henry kept warning Holly not to go into the woods because the monsters were there. When she did go into the woods, she found Max. After that long monologue, Max tells Holly she can’t come with her and has to find her own way out, which puts Holly in even more danger. Then Max later says, “The song didn’t bring me back. You did.”
    What if Max is actually dead?


    There are tons of other fan theories out there, most of which probably won’t happen. Every time the show has faced the opportunity to kill off a main character, it hasn’t followed through. The final episode is titled The Right Side Up. To us, that implies the Upside Down was never opened at all—and the only way to fix that is to go back in time and stop it from ever happening.


    If that’s the case, everything resets.
    We’ll see.


    This finale has to be epic. Otherwise, the accusations that this is heading toward a Game of Thrones–style ending will stick, and ten years of buildup will have been for nothing. Duffer Brothers, it’s all on you. Let’s hope you made the most of it.

    Either way, Joyce still owes Hopper a dinner at Enzo’s..

  • The Camazotz Cut: Does leaked STRANGER THINGS document show what could have been?

    The Camazotz Cut: Does leaked STRANGER THINGS document show what could have been?

    It’s pretty amazing .. for a show that got almost everything right for the better part of a decade, it somehow managed to get almost everything wrong with its finale.

    The most recent episode of Stranger Things , Season 5, Episode 7 , is now the lowest-rated episode of the entire series, even rating lower than The Lost Sister episode from Season 2.

    This isn’t just a mixed reaction. It’s an overwhelmingly negative one.

    On one side of the fan base, the coming-out scene involving Will Byers has sparked frustration from viewers who wanted more — maybe a more intimate, personal moment between Will and Mike Wheeler, or at least a different approach to how it was handled.

    On the other end of the spectrum, there are fans who don’t believe the scene should have been included at all, claiming the show “went woke” and echoing the familiar “go woke, go broke” refrain pushed by more conservative commentators. But what if there’s more to this story? What if there were lost scenes? Lost footage? A different cut of the episode altogether?

    A document circulating online claims exactly that suggesting a reliable source leaked information about several scenes that never made the final edit.

    One claim in particular suggests a key sequence was cut in order to keep the season’s rating from crossing into more mature territory, bringing it down to something more acceptable for Netflix. Now, to be clear, we don’t know if any of this is true. But we’re sharing it because it’s popping up across multiple fan sites and forums, and because speculation is part of the fun, especially when the reality has been a little disappointing. For a show that stands as one of the biggest series in television history, and unquestionably the biggest in Netflix’s catalog, it’s hard not to wonder what could have been when what we’ve gotten so far just hasn’t lived up to the legacy.

    Here is the full Google doc for your review… the highlights are below:

    Will Byers’ Arc

    • Will’s storyline with Vecna/Henry was reportedly shortened, removing key developments.
    • A planned plot of Eleven and Mike traveling to Camazotz to rescue Will was allegedly cut.
    • Scenes exploring Will’s sexual trauma, initially intended to make the show TV-MA, were toned down.
    • Important Mike and Will moments—including music-centered scenes featuring Just Like Heaven by The Cure—were removed.
    • A basement one-on-one scene between Mike and Will never made it into the episodes.
    • Max and Will were initially part of a team with Eleven and Holly to explain their closeness, but these interactions were cut.
    • A dramatic fake-out death for Will, echoing his Season 1 CPR scene, was also removed.

    Character Dynamics and Plotlines

    • The Eleven & Max reunion appeared out of character, possibly because the original reunion scene was cut.
    • Max and Will’s sudden closeness may have been explained in a removed Camazotz plotline.
    • Some interactions, such as Robin and Mike arguing or Maya Hawke mentoring multiple characters, seem incomplete due to missing scenes.
    • The Mike & Eleven tub scene was shortened, removing wide shots seen in trailers, possibly referencing cut plotlines.
    • Vecna blocking Eleven out of his mindscape raised logical inconsistencies—suggesting a previous attempt to enter Camazotz was removed.

    Missing Characters and References

    • Raphael Luce (young Henry Creel) filmed scenes that never appeared, including more appearances of Henry giving blood.
    • Gabrielle Nevaeh’s character (Patty Newby) in the tie-in play The First Shadow was absent from the season.
    • Mind Flayer mentions were limited, contradicting the play’s storyline.
    • Certain songs and the WSQK Collection vinyl were not used, despite being promoted.
    • Some characters teased for Volume 2, like Chance and other bullies, never appeared.

    Evidence of Editing Decisions

    • IMDb initially listed longer runtimes for episodes, supporting claims of cuts.
    • A leaked style guide included dialogue not featured in the final season, suggesting removed scenes.
    • Episode editing continued late into December, long after earlier episodes were completed.
    • Crew members were restricted from posting behind-the-scenes content, hinting at sensitive material.
    • Merch items and Easter eggs (like the ‘For Will’ mixtape) were not referenced in the episodes.

    Statements from Cast and Crew

    • Jamie Campbell Bower indicated that Vecna’s darker moments were planned but not shown.
    • Noah Schnapp mentioned dissociating during Will’s coming out scenes.
    • Finn Wolfhard teased a song tied to Mike that never appeared in the final cut.
    • The Duffer Brothers noted unusual last-minute edits and expressed frustration with executive interference.
    • Shawn Levy confirmed the heavy emotional weight carried by Finn and Noah in filming, implying significant content was intended.

    Whether all of this is true or not.. fans are demanding a release of THIS version…

    The directors cut.. if only it really was the past, just like the lost VHS director’s cut of Halloween 6 existed only in strange online circles, maybe this TV-MA version would too..?

  • Stranger Things 5 has ‘jumped the Demoshark’

    Stranger Things 5 has ‘jumped the Demoshark’

    SPOILER WARNINGS ahead.

    This morning, a lot of Stranger Things fans are waking up a little jaded.
    Spoiler alert: Will Byers is gay.

    Listen, fans have known that since season one, episode one, when Joyce Byers explains to Jim Hopper what people say about her son Will. That part isn’t shocking. If anything, Will having a coming-out moment was inevitable, and yes, that moment can be celebrated. But all that building up to some moment where Will and Mike would have this special embrace? Some fans longed for it and they did not get it.


    But at the same time, the show deserves criticism because the larger storyline has gone completely off the rails.


    Plotlines have become subplots that have subplots of their own. Characters endlessly gather in circles, drawing plans on boards, debating whether those plans will work, then seemingly not doing the plan at all. Instead, they get attacked by demogorgons anyway, only for miracles to happen where everyone escapes without injury.


    Which brings us to the biggest spoiler of all: no one has died.


    Everyone was bracing for a major loss. The Duffer Brothers warned us about a “very sad Christmas,” yet here we are scratching our heads. Fans will still be fans, and I’ll still be one too, but the episodes presented last night were strange and confusing. There was far too much dialogue, and characters we’ve watched develop for four seasons suddenly don’t act like themselves anymore.


    We’re still hopeful the final season and the series finale will blow us away. But so far, we’ve been blown away by boredom. It has to be said. I don’t want to say it, but there is simply too much going on.
    There’s that famous episode of Happy Days where Fonzie literally jumps over a shark. That moment became shorthand for when a television show loses its way. Jumping the shark happens to a lot of good shows. That’s part of why Seinfeld remains legendary. It knew when to end before that moment arrived.


    So the question becomes: did Stranger Things jump the shark, or in this case, jump the demogorgon?
    And if it did, when did it happen? Was it season five, episode by episode? Or did it quietly happen sometime late in season four and we just didn’t notice at the time?


    We still love the show. We still can’t wait for the series finale. But the stretch getting there has been tedious, strange, and more boring than it should be.


    And quite frankly, if the idea was that affirming Will’s sexuality would somehow make the show better, that’s fine. He did it. But it added nothing to a plot where we already knew exactly who Will was. Worse, it teased fans who expected an emotional payoff between Will and Mike, only to have Mike essentially ignore him in that moment.


    Historically speaking, Indiana had decriminalized homosexuality in 1977. But in 1986 there was a law giving restrictions on marriage. That context seems to matter but the show didn’t explore it too much given the rapidness of how they had Will–while the world was ending–decide to come out then. It was his arc.. and it was his moment. But it seemed that it was fit in during a strange time when it was not placed correctly.


    Despite season five going down a strange path, we’re still fans, and there were some genuinely cool and redeeming moments. There was an awesome reference tonight involving A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, where Holly was talking to Max and had to return to a frightening memory of being with her friends watching Nightmare 3.

    That episode was directed by Frank Darabont, who was also involved with Nightmare 3. There were also some solid nods to Phantasm, along with a few moments that were genuinely unique and well-crafted. Unfortunately, those highs are paired with negative aspects that are probably too numerous to list.

    It also gave us a really cool poster that was designed for the show that has a huge likeness and homage to NIGHTMARE 3:


    But we go from that to then Max bringing Holly along to get out of the upside down or whatever it is… just to tell her stick around and she can’t come with her? Odd..

    Fans react: https://www.facebook.com/groups/907749954301741/?multi_permalinks=1420742836335781&hoisted_section_header_type=recently_seen

    And speaking of botching things up? Suddenly MAX says that the song is ‘not important’? It’s not? The entire theory from season 1 is how music guided people through the darkness of the upside down..

    At this point, it feels like Stranger Things has dropped the demogorgon somewhere along the way.

    At this point it feels like fan theories of the show have better plots and storylines than what the Duffers gave us.. we think. That last show could still be redeeming but we have yet to see time travel…or anything besides Hopper and the kids debating whether they can fly helicopters and kill Vecna. Or whatever they are trying to do…

    We just have to figure out when it happened and hold our breath for one truly incredible, climactic battle at the end.

  • The official run times for Stranger Things season 5 Volume 2 officially revealed

    The official run times for Stranger Things season 5 Volume 2 officially revealed

    You’ve all been broadcasting the wrong runtimes for the second half of Stranger Things Season 5.
    The official runtimes were released today, and they’re not what’s been floating around online.
    Here are the real, confirmed episode lengths:


    Chapter 5 – “Shock Jock”: 1 hour, 8 minutes
    Chapter 6 – “Escape From Camazotz”: 1 hour, 15 minutes
    Chapter 7 – “The Bridge”: 1 hour, 6 minutes
    Chapter 8 – “The Right Side Up”: 2 hours, 8 minutes
    Yes the finale is a full movie.


    And honestly, The Right Side Up already sounds like the perfect mirror-image ending to five seasons spent trapped in the Upside Down. If that title doesn’t feel like a victory lap, I don’t know what does.


    So please stop spreading fake runtimes. These are the official numbers.
    And remember: everything drops in just hours on Christmas Day.


    The countdown is officially on.

  • 19-year-old killed in fall from vacant building used in ‘Stranger Things’

    19-year-old killed in fall from vacant building used in ‘Stranger Things’

    19-year-old woman named Leah Palmirotto died after falling from the roof of an old, abandoned building in Atlanta, Georgia..


    She was with friends exploring the building at night (around 1 a.m.). They climbed over a fence to enter, despite it being fenced off with “no trespassing” signs.


    The building is on Emory University’s Briarcliff campus. Built in the 1960s as the Georgia Mental Health Institute (a psychiatric hospital), it closed years ago.


    It is famous for being used as the exterior (and some interior) of Hawkins National Laboratory in the Netflix show Stranger Things
    She was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are investigating, but it appears to be an accident during urban exploring (visiting abandoned places).

    FOX5 Atlanta has more information ..

  • We really don’t think that the Duffer Brothers based Mr Whatsit about a 1962 incident despite everyone saying they did

    We really don’t think that the Duffer Brothers based Mr Whatsit about a 1962 incident despite everyone saying they did

    So everyone has been talking lately about Stranger Things Season 5 and the idea that Mr. What’s It is based on a true story from 1962, a supposed incident where a group of children all saw and drew the same mysterious man wearing a hat.


    Here’s the scoop. There probably is no true story from 1962.


    What seems to be happening is that the same urban legend keeps getting repeated over and over across Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, with no facts to back it up. There is no documented mass sighting of a Hat Man in 1962. There is no verified location. There is no teacher testimony. There are no archived newspaper articles. And there is no evidence anywhere that the Duffer Brothers ever said Henry’s Mr. What’s It character was based on an incident like this.


    In fact, if anything, the character feels closer to something like A Wrinkle in Time than it does to a real world event. That doesn’t mean there isn’t something familiar about him, though. Because while the 1962 story appears to be made up, the Hat Man himself is not new.


    The Hat Man has existed in human stories for a very long time, just under different names. In past cultures, shadow figures wearing cloaks or wide brimmed hats show up in folklore tied to night terrors, death omens, or spiritual visitations. Medieval Europe had depictions of dark watchers who stood at the edge of the bed. Victorian ghost stories often described tall men in hats appearing in doorways or hallways. Even older traditions talk about night spirits or watchers who observe silently rather than interact.


    What’s interesting is how consistent the imagery is across time. A tall figure. A long coat or cloak. A hat. No clear facial features. No speech. Just presence.


    In modern times, most Hat Man encounters are tied to sleep paralysis or intense fever dreams. People who experience it often describe being awake but unable to move, with a crushing sense of dread. And there he is, standing in the corner of the room, in the doorway, or at the foot of the bed… watching.


    That idea was explored directly in the 2015 documentary The Nightmare, which focuses entirely on sleep paralysis experiences. The film features multiple people who had never met each other, all describing nearly identical encounters. In that documentary, the Hat Man is essentially the final boss of sleep paralysis. He doesn’t scream. He doesn’t chase. He just looms, silent and terrifying, while the person trapped in that half awake state cannot escape.


    So while it may not be true that the creators of Stranger Things based Mr. What’s It on a specific mass sighting from 1962, it is very possible that the Hat Man mythology itself influenced what they created. The idea of a shadow figure that exists between worlds, between sleep and wakefulness, between childhood fear and cosmic horror, fits perfectly into that universe.


    But here’s where we have to pump the brakes.


    There is no real story that connects a 1962 Hat Man incident to the show. The posts making these claims all recycle the same language. They use AI generated images. They never give an exact location. They never cite a real source. And they never link to an actual quote from the Duffer Brothers.


    If anyone out there can find a legitimate source, a real interview, a verified quote, or documented evidence that such an incident occurred and that it inspired the character, send it our way. We will research it. We will correct ourselves. We will say we were wrong.


    But until then, this is an urban legend built on top of another urban legend.


    We’ve been studying paranormal history for decades. We know about mass UFO sightings. We know about documented cases of mass hysteria in schools in Africa. But when it comes to the Hat Man and California in 1962, there is nothing. Not a single credible mention.


    So for now, we’re sticking with this. The Duffer Brothers did not base Mr. What’s It on a 1962 incident because there is no evidence that incident ever happened.


    And if the Duffer Brothers ever want to reach out and say otherwise, we’d absolutely love to talk.

  • Squawkless on TuneIn? It wasn’t just my problem

    Squawkless on TuneIn? It wasn’t just my problem

    Stranger Things fans are getting a little sneak preview of what life will be like when their favorite radio station disappears. Let me explain.

    You might have read on my site (and plenty of others) about WSQK—a.k.a. The Squawk. It’s that now-famous “radio” station that was really just an online stream but felt like a real 80s station straight out of Hawkins, Indiana. It had 80s DJs, 80s music, the whole nostalgic vibe.

    You could find it on TuneIn Radio. But now a bunch of people, myself included, are getting these weird warnings that The Squawk is suddenly “not available in our region” or country.

    At first, I thought, “Hey, maybe this is some kind of promo stunt, like the Demogorgons hijacked the station for a bit.” But nope, it’s not part of the show.

    It’s just a glitch or a regional licensing issue on TuneIn.

    The good news is you can still get The Squawk on the Global Player app. I tried it, it works, and others have done the same. So you can keep listening for now.

    Just know that come January, The Squawk is reportedly going off the air for good as that little promo run ends. So yeah, consider this a taste of what life will be like when the station disappears for real.

    Enjoy it while you can!

  • A decade that went upside down: From nostalgia to despondence

    A decade that went upside down: From nostalgia to despondence

    As we get closer to the two-night finale of Stranger Things dropping December 31, 2025 and January 1, 2026, it’s worth remembering one thing: we didn’t just watch a show for a decade .. we lived one.

    When Stranger Things started filming, David Letterman was still hosting late-night. Jay Leno had only recently walked away from The Tonight Show. Conan O’Brien was still on TBS. (We really miss him).. It was when late night was waning but two kings were still reigning.

    The streaming world was a completely different universe.
    Netflix was king and pretty much alone on the throne. There was no Disney+. No Paramount+. No HBO Max. No Peacock. CBS All Access was barely a whisper. Streaming was simple compared to the buffet line it is today.

    Politically? Well… it was Barack Obama’s America. Donald Trump hadn’t even been elected yet. There was no constant chaos cycle, no decade of non-stop political adrenaline. If you told someone in 2016 what was coming for the next ten years, they might have said you were living in the Upside Down.

    Celebrity culture? Justin Bieber was still with Selena Gomez. Prince William wasn’t even married yet. That’s how far back we’re talking when you think of it…

    Music-wise, the world was dancing to “Closer” by The Chainsmokers and “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber. In theaters, people were lining up at midnight screenings of Rogue One, dressing up, filling auditoriums — back when opening nights still felt like events, not a casual option between Netflix binges.

    Even in sports, the snapshot is wild:
    The Chicago Cubs broke their 108-year curse and won the 2016 World Series.
    The Denver Broncos, led by a retiring Peyton Manning, won the Super Bowl.

    We were just beginning dabbling in the nostalgia that the mid 2000-teens were about to present us.. We were just waiting for a show to come around and really bring it home.

    And television? Entire shows began and ended during the Stranger Things era while we were still waiting for the next season in Hawkins.
    Shows like Cobra Kai, The Umbrella Academy, The Good Place, Westworld, and others completed their entire lifespan before Stranger Things even got to its final chapter.

    And now here we are…

    When we look back at this time capsule — this Upside Down decade, if you will — it shows just how much everything has changed, and how much we have changed with it.

    The question becomes:
    Did we change the decade, or did the decade change us?
    Did we create Donald Trump, or did he create us?
    Maybe historians will be arguing about that long after we’re gone.

    What we can say is this:

    A full decade of life passed while this show unfolded. And our entire experience the this entire reality has altered.

    If your child was six when Stranger Things premiered, you’re now staring down the day they get their driver’s license.
    If they were Eleven (*like our star*) you are nervously waiting for that first legal drink.

    Time moved. Life moved. We just didn’t notice how fast.

    We watched these kid actors in a weird, neon-tinted horror-sci-fi show grow up on our screens. And the joke was always, “By the time season five comes out, they’ll be in a retirement home.”

    But guess what?
    So are we.
    Or at least we’re a lot closer than we were in 2016.

    The decade went fast .. and slow all at the same time. When we began 2016 the show tapped into nostalgia .. We were immersed in it. But by COVID and the arguments during the pandemic, the age of nostalgia vanished away.. we were instead enraged on an hourly basis, streaming actively and killing cable, staying at home and killing malls.. and wondering what our collective purpose was in this place and time.

    Now, as the final season airs a decade on, nostalgia–at least what it was then–is dead. The show seemingly has tried to stay stuck in a time that moved on… a decade is a long time. Especially THIS decade.. THIS upside down period of time..

    So take a breath.

    Take a moment and look around.
    A decade has passed in the blink of an eye.

    As we gear up for the final Stranger Things episodes, maybe even seeing it in a movie theater, surrounded by others who’ve taken the same ride, remember this:
    This was a snapshot of our lives.

    And just like Hawkins, we all came out a little older, a little wiser, and definitely changed.

  • Stranger Things finale in theaters will be a cultural moment

    Stranger Things finale in theaters will be a cultural moment

    Netflix unveiled the full list of cities and theaters participating in fan screenings of the Season 5 finale of Stranger Things, which has been confirmed to have a runtime of 2 hours and five minutes.

    The screenings will take place in over 500 theaters in the U.S. and Canada starting on December 31, 2025 at 5:00pm PT, timed to the finale’s global premiere on Netflix, and run through January 1, 2026. The full list of theaters and RSVP information can be found on Netflix’s website, stfinale.com.

    Shawn Levy stated that the last episode belonged on the big screen..

    This promises to be a pivotal pop culture moment..

    Many theaters are already selling out.. Get tickets now..

  • Your theater will go upside down. Good luck on your hunt for tickets

    Your theater will go upside down. Good luck on your hunt for tickets

    Today’s the big day! You can now buy tickets for the finale of Stranger Things in a theater.. I foresee this being a major cultural event..

    We’ve got a grand total of two theaters in Pennsylvania running the Season 5 finale… yep, just two that I could find. One out in Warrington and another all the way over in Clarion, near Pittsburgh.

    Now, maybe this is some kind of strategic move, spreading out the love to suburban and university towns rather than just the big cities. Or maybe it’s not strategic at all, and it just comes down to which theater chains decided to jump on board. Either way, I’m not complaining because I’ve got my ticket in hand. As an example it appears that there’s only two theaters in Pennsylvania showing it, one being a suburb of Philadelphia and the other being Clarion. Clarion smart because there’s University there maybe that’s the goal. Not sure if it’s strategic or just by accident where the theaters were chosen..

    My plan? Well, I’m turning off the entire digital world from 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until I’m back from the theater on New Year’s Day. That means no social media, no Twitter, no Facebook, no updating my site.. nothing. I’m going full digital hibernation mode because I do not want a single spoiler before I see that finale on the big screen.

    And sure, some folks might say going to a theater for a TV show is a bad idea. They’ll say you’ll be surrounded by loud, obnoxious people. But come on, if you’re heading out to see Stranger Things in a theater, you’re probably just as much of a fan as everyone else in the room. We’ll all be there to laugh, cry, cheer, and maybe even dress up like a Demogorgon or two. It’s going to be a shared experience, and honestly, that’s the fun of it.

    So good luck if you’re hunting for tickets. It’s limited, it’s special, and if you do find a seat next to me, just give me a little elbow room and don’t throw popcorn.. unless it’s at a really scary part.