For the cast of Stranger Things, the end of the road is finally in sight—and they intend to cross the finish line together.
Noah Schnapp, who has played Will Byers since the show’s inception, revealed on Monday that the stars of the hit Netflix sci-fi series have made a pact to experience the series finale simultaneously with the rest of the world.
Speaking on Good Morning America, the 21-year-old actor admitted that the cast has not yet seen the final cut of the concluding episode. Instead, they plan to gather as a group when it drops on New Year's Eve.
"I’m nervous to watch it," Schnapp told host Lara Spencer. "Once you watch that, it’s done. That’s the last episode we’re ever gonna watch together."
A final gathering
The "watch party" will include the core group of friends who have grown up on screen together, including Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, and Millie Bobby Brown.
Schnapp predicts it will be a heavy evening for the young stars, who have spent a decade navigating the Upside Down together.
"It's so emotional. Just reading it, I can't even fathom what it's gonna be like to watch," he said.
"We are going to sit together as a group and watch it together one last time... [we are] probably gonna be sobbing the rest of the day, the rest of the month, probably."
Sneaking into the cinema
The finale, which is set to be a feature-length event, will be released on Netflix and in select theatres simultaneously at 8 p.m. ET on December 31.
Schnapp plans to double-dip on the emotional experience. Aside from the cast gathering, he intends to visit a movie theatre to watch it with his real-life family—though he acknowledges that anonymity might be difficult.
"I'm probably going to have to put a mask on or something," he joked. "I don't know."
'It felt perfect'
The sentiment of leaving the show behind is bittersweet for Schnapp, who was only 11 years old when he was cast.
"I'm gonna miss our family of Stranger Things," he said, noting that this bond extends to the crew and the team at Netflix. "We've grown up with each other, and it's going to be hard to not have that."
Schnapp isn't the only cast member bracing for the end.
Finn Wolfhard, 22, previously told People that the conclusion of his character Mike’s arc left him feeling "satisfied" but also "confused and sad."
"I felt like I was in a dream or something," Wolfhard said. "None of it felt real. I don't know, it felt perfect."
David Harbour, who plays police chief Jim Hopper, was even more emphatic during a podcast appearance earlier this year, declaring the finale "the best episode they’ve ever done."
As the countdown begins, fans—and the cast—are preparing the tissues. Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 2 premieres on December 25, with the final curtain call airing on December 31.
