Netflix’s Stranger Things may be a tribute to ’80s horror, but it also encapsulates a genuine belief in love and friendship. This spirit connects its charming main characters. So it’s shocking that the creators of the Duffer Brothers forgot a pivotal day no friend would forget: Will Byers’ birthday.
“It’s too sad!” And it doesn’t make any narrative sense. But we talked about it yesterday, and I think we’ll go to George Lucas.’ Matt Duffer told Variety in an interview published late last week.
Diehard fans know that Will Byers’s (Noah Schnapp) birthday is March 22, 1971, as his mother Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) stated when a possessed Will is tied up in episode 8, season 2. But in the second episode of the fourth season, during the scene where Will, Eleven, and Mike are on the Rink-O-Mania roller coaster, March 22, 1986, is on the recording camera of one of Eleven’s bullies—also known as Will’s birthday.
Nobody mentions it. After the first two seasons, Will’s storyline has been pushed further into the background, so this is just another insult.
In any case, the Duffer brothers are looking to fix the bug, similar to how Star Wars creator George Lucas often changed his movies after their release. Mostly it was about improving special effects.
So what will they make Will’s new birthday? Matt Duffer suggested we return to that season 2 episode and change it to May 22 “because ‘May’ fits in Winona’s mouth.” He said, “So that would be us, George Lucas, framing the situation.”
Here’s what the Duffers said about the light in an interview with Variety.
“The fair response is that, like the characters in the show, we forgot Will’s birthday as well,” said Matt Duffer. “So the debate now is whether we adjust Will’s birthday or just let it be really sad.”
“Oh my god…I almost don’t want you to write this because you’ll get us in trouble with the fans for forgetting his birthday. It’s been six years since I wrote that date!” said Ross Duffer.
“You know how George RR Martin has someone- his story is more extensive- and Stephen King has someone who keeps track of all this? We don’t have that. We need that. So Ross and I, and my memory are not great, but we love Will, and I don’t want people to think we don’t love Will because we forgot — we do! But now we’ve mentioned Dustin’s birthday this season, so we’re very careful for people not to mention, just in case the timelines…” said Matt Duffer.
Stranger Things Season 4 Vol.1 premiered on Netflix on May 27. Full. 2 is scheduled for July 1.
