Stranger Things Season 3 is rolling right along, and we’ve got a bit of an update on where production’s at. The third installment of Netflix’s supernatural sensation will get in front of cameras starting Monday, April 23, according to series producer and director Shawn Levy.
Speaking with Collider’s Steve Weintraub, Levy revealed that the team just completed the table read from Stranger Things 3, which included the first four scripts of the season, putting them about right on pace with the amount of scripts they had completed ahead of production for Season 2. And once again, they’re following a familiar shooting strategy that will give series creators Matt and Ross Duffer time to go off and write while the season is underway.
Image via Netflix
Levy explained,
“It is the same number of scripts as last year. The rest of them kind of get written as we shoot, as we edit, as we go. I’m once again directing the third and fourth episodes so that I can give the Duffers a breather, and send them back into the writing cave, so that they can buff out the rest of the season. That’s why I took on these episodes in Season One, and now the three of us are just a little too superstitious to mess with what’s worked so far. The prep beyond that, it’s really a similar juggling act where the Duffers, because they always understandably want to direct the kick-off episodes, they have to juggle their limited time between writing and re-writing and prepping as directors, all at the same time.”
As for who else might be stepping behind the camera for Season 3, Levy says not to expect a ton of surprises on the list, especially considering the limited episode count, which he confirms will drop back down to an eight-episode run after their ten-episode second season. “It’s not a huge surprise,” Levy said, “there’s eight episodes, so there’s a very limited number of slots available.”
Image via Netflix
One name you shouldn’t expect to see is the return of Pixar legend Andrew Stanton, who directed two mid-season episodes in Season 2. However, it seems scheduling has prevented the Finding Nemo and WALL-E director from making a return. Levy said,
“No, you know what? We had some schedule issues trying to figure out how to bring Andrew back, because we were beyond thrilled with him as a human being and his episodes. So the only answer I can give you today is it’s not Stanton, though we very much hope to keep him in the director club of Stranger Things as we move on to other seasons.