Filmmaker Frank Darabont was relatively new to retirement when the first season of the streaming sensation ‘Stranger Things’ debuted in 2016.
Having completed his final directing project with the 2013 ‘Mob City’ episode titled ‘Red Light’, Darabont relocated to California’s Central Coast with his wife. There, he could enjoy the legacy of his remarkable filmography, which includes hits like ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, ‘The Green Mile’, ‘The Mist’, and episodes of ‘The Walking Dead’, ‘The Shield’, and ‘Tales from the Crypt’, among others.
About a decade into his retirement, Darabont received a call from his agent, informing him that Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of ‘Stranger Things’, were admirers of his work. The admiration was mutual; Darabont and his wife had binge-watched the Netflix series’ first four seasons multiple times. The agents arranged a friendly meeting while the Duffers were still in the development phase of the show’s fifth and final season.
Soon after, Dan Trachtenberg, who was slated to direct two episodes of ‘Stranger Things 5’, withdrew due to a scheduling conflict with his next film, ‘Predator: Badlands’. In a bold move, the Duffers offered Darabont the opportunity to take Trachtenberg’s place. After a week of contemplation, he chose to come out of retirement to join the ‘Stranger Things’ team on set.
At 66, Frank Darabont directed Episodes 3 and 5 of the final season. Episode 3, which was released with Volume 1 on November 26, is titled ‘The Turnbow Trap’. This episode delivers a blend of action and emotion in both the Upside Down and Rightside Up, marking a triumphant return for the director. Episode 5, named ‘Shock Jock’, will kick off the three-episode second volume on December 25. The much-anticipated series finale of ‘Stranger Things’ is set to release in theaters and on Netflix on December 31, 2025.