Featured Image Credit: NBC / Contributor via Getty
They grow up so fast, don't they? In our defense, the drawn-out production cycle of Stranger Things means it's been nearly a decade since we first met that young core cast of Caleb McLaughlin, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Millie Bobby Brown, and Noah Schnapp.
Other standouts like Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke have joined along the way, but now that the final credits have rolled, there are questions about what they'll move onto next. Hoping to avoid the child actor's curse and (hopefully) become the next Winona Ryder, most of the Stranger Things kids have been keeping themselves busy outside of Hawkins for years.
Alongside Millie Bobby Brown leading the Enola Holmes and Godzilla franchises, Finn Wolfhard has become an overnight success thanks to roles in the It movies and the Ghostbusters sequels.
There was plenty of controversy when it came to Stranger Things season 5, but away from the Duffer Brothers admitting it was a 'difficult' process, there have been reports of behind-the-scenes bullying, ChatGPT accusations, rumors about missing episodes, and unverified claims about characters being cut.
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Much like Netflix is moving on with The Boroughs from the Duffer Brothers, the Stranger Things guys aren't hanging around to see if they'll reprise their roles in one of the planned spin-offs.
Wolfhard already confirmed he'll be back as It's Richie Tozier in some form, but in the meantime, he's continuing his comedic streak by hosting Saturday Night Live.
Having made a name for himself as the smart-talking and foul-mouthed Mike Wheeler in Stranger Things, Wolfhard's SNL gig has only amplified this.
Joking about growing up on the Stranger Things set, the 23-year-old has been accused of misogyny when he made a crude comment about the appearance of the Demogorgon.
The iconic monster has become synonymous with Stranger Things, and despite complaints they were sidelined in season 5, Wolfhard's set poked fun at their appearance.
Discussing all things Stranger Things, Wolfhard said: "My voice changed on camera, my first kiss was on camera, and I can't actually believe I'm admitting this, but the first time I learned what a woman looks like down there - was on camera as well."
SNL then cut to a clip of an unfurling Demogorgon, with the comparison appearing to be that it looks like a woman's anatomy.
ppl when they realize casual misogyny and homophobia aren't supposed to be jokes unless you're a braindead bigot pic.twitter.com/xQhW9WxHKj
— vin (@caleismfollower) January 18, 2026
The 'joke' didn't land, with one person replying to a Variety article about the incident and saying: "Sexist joke and like lazy?? At least try harder."
Another said: "This was only funny to a very certain odd group of people."
After someone referred to him as a 'misogynistic c*ck panderer', another concluded: "Men call it a joke. Women hear it in a world where our bodies are already treated as public property. That’s the gap."
Later in Wolfhard's monologue, he was joined by former co-stars McLaughlin and Matarazzo. The trio said they'd moved on to star in 'adult' films, including takedowns of Sex in the City and a particularly NSFW mashup of Harry Potter and Heated Rivalry.
The group couldn't help but laugh at those Conformity Gate theories, which is sure to only rattle the ever-angry fandom further.
