Stranger Things might have ended with its finale, but calling it finished would be a narrative crime. The series refuses to lie down quietly, especially during the Conformity Gate theory era, when the internet collectively lost its composure. Of course, audiences moved on once the theory fizzled, as internet obsessions tend to do.

Still, the universe kept expanding: the animated Stranger Things: Tales from '85 emerged, while the Duffer Brothers kept promising more Hawkins-adjacent chaos. And now, Charlie Heaton weighs in on future projects, reopening the eternal question: has Stranger Things truly ended?

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Charlie Heaton made one thing clear: he would never rule out returning, even if it was after twenty years. He believes Stranger Things has ended structurally, yet emotionally remains unfinished.

“So you never know…” said Heaton while speaking about whether he would ever return to Stranger Things. The words framed Heaton’s outlook, especially when discussing the Duffer Brothers’ long-game instincts. He pointed out their original plan to jump timelines after season one, suggesting that endings in Hawkins have always been provisional rather than absolute.

“And I do think it’s finally hitting us all that it’s over,” said the actor to the outlet, while he exposed how the cast members have been taking the ending of the decade-long series. He said that the cast, which has a group chat, is processing the loss slowly but collectively. Their calendars not including a Stranger Things filming mid-year now signal closure for him, even as shared history keeps the bond stubbornly alive.

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The Upside Down may be closed for business, but Charlie Heaton has clearly kept his schedule very much open.

After concluding Stranger Things, Charlie Heaton moved decisively into prestige television. He joined Industry for its fourth season as Jim Dycker, marking his first major post-Hawkins role. Next, Heaton expands into genre television with an untitled Netflix limited series set in Newfoundland. Starring alongside Josh Hartnett, the project centers on eerie coastal folklore and mysterious sea creatures, positioning Heaton firmly within high-concept streaming drama.

On the film side, Heaton leads the romantic comedy Twice Over opposite Mia Wasikowska, which caused quite a lot of excited chatter with its first look. Meanwhile, Billy Knight places him beside Al Pacino, contemplating ambition, memory, and the quiet terror of creative ambition fulfilled. As Heaton hints at what is to come, his reflective optimism about the end of Stranger Things reminds fans that in Hawkins, as in life, you truly never know what the future holds.

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Would you be on board with seeing Charlie Heaton in an upcoming Stranger Things project? Let us know in the comments!