It seems as if Stranger Things has not actually ended with the fifth season’s eighth episode, on December 31, 2025. As if the right side up is but an illusion, that the creators fashioned to give the audience a sense of closure. Matthew Modine, who plays Papa, for instance, is certainly not one to be quiet about how things ended, and certainly not about Stranger Things as a whole. 

Papa has breathed again, only to pose a challenge for the Stranger Things finale. 

Across a series of comments, actor Matthew Modine has come out to be not in favor of the Stranger Things finale, as it went down. Acknowledging the audience's questions about whether he liked the fifth season in the comments of an Instagram post, Modine answered in a crisp denial. Further, upon being asked if he “believes” in episode 9 of season 5, Modine answered in favor of what the audience wants, contrasting with the rest of the crew’s treatment of the finale. 

Modine has also established himself as a supporter of exploring the romantic possibility between the two main characters, Will Byers and Mike Wheeler, revealing it through his acceptance of all kinds of love, saying, "Love is love"

 Hilariously, the psychologically driven Modine also revealed his whereabouts to the audience under the Instagram post. He was asked if he would be attending or if he was at the Super Bowl, to which he replied with an alibi. Possibly talking about the biopic, The Florist, Modine revealed that he is currently working on a film in Philadelphia. 

What is 'Stranger Things': Catalyst? Papa Matthew Modine Ignites Fans' Intrigue With A Cryptic Post

As the audience keeps returning for more answers, and Papa keeps answering, Stranger Things itself has proven it was too hard for it to bid goodbye. 

Merely weeks after the last minutes of the Stranger Things finale aired, the creators announced a spin-off of the series, titled Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85. Instead of the actors, however, the pawns of this piece arrive as voices to the characters, animated ones, at that. The spin-off, set in an earlier time than the events of the fifth season, between seasons 2 and 3, to be precise, will be made to center on a more softened view of Hawkins. 

The original faces or voices of the show, the animated spin-off is set to drop on April 23, 2026. 

Like Matthew Modine, Stranger Things is retracing all the what-ifs that could be traced with what remains of the show. As the debate for the perfect finale episode, or the perfect ending to the nearly 10-year-long show, continues, there is less of a sense of the past and more of an ongoing event in Stranger Things' discussions. 

“I'M JUST A TROLL"- 'Stranger Things' 5 Matthew Modine Makes a Surprising Confession with Return Hints

Do you agree with Matthew Modine on his opinions about the Stranger Things finale? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!