The main cast of Stranger Things is getting a huge pay increase ahead of season 3, with the young stars netting an especially large sum. Netflix's most buzzed-about series has become a cultural juggernaut, with each new season hotly anticipated. Although the next season won't air until next year, a few details have already been revealed. Unsurprisingly, Stranger Things season 3 involves a new evil, as Hawkins apparently continues to be the most dangerous place to live. But joining the next force of darkness will also be a new batch of characters.
The new Stranger Things cast members will so far include Maya Hawke as a young slacker, while Lucas's sister (scene-stealer Priah Ferguson) has been bumped up to a series regular. Season 2 did great work giving the existing cast more to do while also managing to add a slew of new characters. That's something the producers plan on continuing with season 3. Even though audiences will be seeing several newcomers in season 3, Stranger Things will still be about the core characters from season 1 and 2, as evidenced by their recent bump in salary.
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THR reports that the entire principal cast of Stranger Things have renegotiated their salary ahead of season 3, which will now be broken down into three tiers. The biggest payout is for Winona Ryder (Joyce) and David Harbor (Hopper), who will both pull in $350,000 an episode. As for the core kids, they'll increase their earnings by a factor of 12. What's more, but it's now confirmed that the new season starts filming on April 23.
We've reported on the salary of the Strangers Things cast before, which had the adults making about $100,000 an episode. Meanwhile, the kids were said to only get around $30,000 for each chapter of the story. Though some bonuses were handed out, the new total far eclipse the previous seasons. Now, actors Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), and Noah Schnapp (Will) will all earn $250,000 an episode. Given that Stranger Things is a major draw for Netflix, the increase is hardly a surprise and long overdue.
When it comes to Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), and Joe Keery (Steve), they'll now receive $150,000 given their increased roles in the series. The one big question mark, however, is Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven). Her negotiations have been kept incredibly private, but many suggest she'll earn around $300,000 given that she's become the face of the show.
While young actors often get a raw deal when it comes to successful films and TV shows, it looks like Netflix and the creative minds behind Stranger Things are keen on keeping their stars happy... and well paid. After all, the show does have a lot more story to tell. And though Stranger Things won't become a franchise, the remaining seasons require that the rising stars of the series are content with their lot. That shouldn't be an issue with the new salary.
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Source: THR