The fifth and final season of Stranger Things has started production, but the show is facing boycott calls once again.
On Monday, Netflix shared a cast photo to X, formerly Twitter. The snap featured surviving characters from the fourth season, including Noah Schnapp, who plays Will Byers in the sci-fi hit.
The actor, who is Jewish, came under fire last autumn due to his remarks about the Israel-Hamas war, with fans threatening to skip Season 5 over his behavior.
The new cast photo has rekindled boycott calls, with one X user declaring: "Noah has tanked the hype."
"Don't care," said Obye.
"Dw we boycotting, Free Palestine," wrote Dell Boii.
"Replace Noah or we're not watching," said Amjad Matar. "And believe 'we're' a lot of people."
However, many fans are still excited for the show to return, with @Johnnoe30104153 writing: "Let's gooo!"
"That's wonderful news," said Aiza Nasir.
"Can't wait to see how it all ends," commented Richard Heaton.
Newsweek has reached out to Schnapp and Netflix for comment via email.
On October 7, Palestinian militant group Hamas launched a shock attack on Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking another 240 captive. Israel subsequently fired airstrikes on Gaza, which is governed by Hamas, before launching a ground offensive into the area.
As of January 9, over 22,400 people in the Gaza Strip have been killed, the Associated Press reported. An estimated 1.8 million of the territory's 2.3 million population have been displaced.
After news of Hamas' initial attack broke, Schnapp took to Instagram to share his thoughts on the war.
The 19-year-old offered support for both Israeli and Palestinian civilians caught up in the conflict, but the line, "You either stand with Israel or you stand with terrorism" caused uproar.
Schnapp later posted an Instagram clip featuring stickers that read "Zionism is Sexy," sparking further backlash. According to Britannica, Zionism is a Jewish nationalist movement dedicated to "creation and support of a Jewish national state in Palestine."
The star was also slammed for interacting with a video by Israeli actress Noa Tishby, which many have regarded as Islamophobic and anti-LGBTQ+. Schnapp liked the Instagram clip, which originated on the Israeli satire show Eretz Nehederet.
Titled "Welcome to Columbia Untisemity," the skit mocked American university students supporting Palestinians in the conflict and includes a student claiming that their organization is open to "LGBTQH" individuals—with the "H" standing for Hamas.
Schnapp lost over 491,000 followers in less than two weeks as a result of his social media activity. Many fans wondered why Schnapp was able to maintain his role on Stranger Things, when pro-Palestinian celebrities, such as Melissa Barrera and Susan Sarandon, lost work over their comments.
Mexican actor Barrera was cut from the Scream franchise in November after accusing Israel of committing genocide in Gaza on social media, while Sarandon was dropped by her agency over remarks she made at a pro-Palestine rally.
In December, a Guardian interview with Stranger Things showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer reignited boycott threats. Some viewers wanted Schnapp fired from the show, while others hoped his character would be killed off early into the season.
They took to social media to express their dissent, with one user declaring: "You should put Will somewhere in the Upside Down and never come back."
However, Schnapp's appearance in the cast photo suggests he will be returning for Season 5. Netflix has yet to announce a release date for the final season, but with production only just beginning, it's unlikely to be any sooner than late 2024 or early 2025.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
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