The Stranger Things cast has transitioned from young up-and-comers to the highest paid stars in the streaming television era. As preparation begins for Season 5 of the show, the cast’s salaries have skyrocketed — to be nearly 40 times greater than the beginning of the series.
From Small Paychecks to Huge Salaries
When the series debuted in 2016, each young actor was reportedly paid around $20,000–$30,000 per episode that included Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Noah Schnapp (Will), Sadie Sink (Max), Natalia Dyer (Nancy), and Charlie Heaton (Jonathan). Older series regulars also took home a much less impressive salary at that stage, including Winona Ryder (Joyce) and David Harbour (Hopper) with the show yet to establish its bona fides for success.
Season 5: Expected Salaries of the Main Cast
For Season 5, Netflix has confirmed no total salaries yet, but reports provide that Millie Bobby Brown is likely over $300,000/episode with the rumors Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp will be paid between $250,000-$300,000/episode.
Sadie Sink and Maya Hawke (Robin) will also fall within this range, Winona Ryder is speculated to be at $450,000 to $500,000+/episode and David Harbour will receive the same.
Other supporting cast members, like Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton and Joe Keery (Steve) will also get an increase and much better pay checks.
All of this translates into a huge pay bump and the level of #Success the show has accomplished.
Why Did the Cast Get a 40x Salary Jump?
The reason for the increase can be attributed to several factors:
- The show’s popularity across the globe.
- The show broke viewing records on Netflix.
- The cast members have a gigantic fanbase.
- The characters are cultural icons.
- There is heightened interest in seeing the final season.
As the cast became increasingly popular, they were able to leverage a group contract negotiation for Season 5.
Season 5: A Combined Mega-Budget Finale
Season 5 is anticipated to be the most expensive season to date, due to the large-scale production and partial salary for the main cast, and it signifies to the fans an epic and emotional conclusion as the original cast is being compensated at their highest level ever.
The salary details mentioned in this article are based on media reports and industry estimates. Official figures from Netflix or the cast have not been publicly confirmed.
Vani Verma is a content writer with over 2 years of experience in lifestyle, entertainment, health and digital media. She has a knack for creating engaging and research-driven content that resonates with readers, blending creativity with clarity. Passionate about media trends, culture, and storytelling, she strives to craft content that informs, inspires, and connects.
