''Time for it to end'': Stranger Things star David Harbour opens up on final season

In a recent exclusive interview with Discussing Film, Stranger Things star David Harbour, who plays the role of lovable and fierce Jim Hopper, opened up about the series nearing its conclusion.

After the success of the fourth season, most fans of the sci-fi show would've wanted the series to go on forever. However, it is also a well-known fact that Stranger Things is coming to an end with the fifth installment, the production of which is supposed to begin very soon.

David Harbour's career has taken a steep upward curve since his appearance as Eleven's (played by Millie Bobby Brown) adoptive father and town sheriff, Jim Hopper. He has since then signed up for a variety of interesting projects, including one in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). He is also slated to appear in We Have a Ghost, Netflix's latest original film.

Ahead of the premiere of We Have a Ghost, Harbour sat down with Discussing Film and shared his thoughts on the popular series coming to an end. David Harbour does feel that Stranger Things has done what it set out to accomplish, and it is time for the series to end in a respectable way.

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"It is time for us to leave that nest and try other things": David Harbour on Stranger Things season 5

While most shows, especially of the mystery or thriller genre, generally struggle to make ends meet with multiple seasons, Stranger Things stood taller than ever with its latest season, which also saw a record amount of viewership. The fourth season looked quite conclusive, but the ending left viewers on a massive cliffhanger.

With the return of the original storyline and stakes higher than ever, the final season of the Duffer brothers' show is all set to electrify fans one last time before bowing out, hopefully, still as one of the greatest shows of the generation.

The fifth season is all set to begin filming, and it marks a tough time for Harbour, who is also signed on to Marvel's Thunderbolts, MCU's answer to Suicide Squad. Speaking about his tight schedule that lies ahead this year, Harbour said in the interview:

"I’m feeling exhausted already. I feel like I need a nap. Just thinking about the year, it’s going to be crazy. It’s nothing like I’ve ever done before. You know, Stranger Things had to go. We have to get going because the kids are growing up, we got to shoot this thing!"

He further explained his situation, sharing how producers are helping him make things work amid his hectic schedule:

"Then Thunderbolts came around, and I was terrified....Luckily, the producers on both really made it work. They went to great lengths to make it work, but it means that I’m going to have to be running back and forth between sets in Atlanta, doing this crazy schedule."

While Stranger Things was effectively what shot David Harbour to great heights in Hollywood, he understands that it has to end in good time. He commented on this bittersweet conclusion in the same interview, noting:

"What’s funny is when I started the show, I never ever wanted it to end. That’s why I love the show. I think it’s a great show, even if I wasn’t in it. Now we’re almost nine years from filming the first season, and I think it is time for it to end. But it is, of course, very bittersweet."

Harbour also emphasized the need for the entire cast and crew to step out and explore different directions following this final season. The actor added:

"You know, there’s a sadness there. But also, we’ve all grown up. It is time for us to leave that nest and try other things and different projects. And to let the Duffer Brothers try different things as well. I mean, those guys are so talented. I want to see what they come up with next. So it is bittersweet, but it’s definitely time."

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The previous four seasons of Stranger Things are now streaming on Netflix.