The monumental Netflix series, Stranger Things, has one more season to go, so it will be a bittersweet wait to see what happens to our favorite residents of Hawkins, Indiana. Shawn Levy will be directing one episode of the fifth season, which he confirms to be “both epic and very emotional” in an interview with Collider:

Writing for the final season began last August, and apparently, it’ll be a heartbreaker, as Levy points out. It will also tie up loose ends and complete every character’s storyline, in addition to answering questions fans still have about the Upside Down. When asked how he feels about the popularity of Stranger Things, Shawn Levy says he loves the attention the show gets but stipulates that it was never their intention to make a “blockbuster” or break viewership records:

“I know that [the Duffer] Brothers already hinted at this publicly, but when we sat there and heard the two-hour-long pitch-out for the storyline of this final season, I don’t think there was a dry eye in the room by the time the brothers were done… so yeah, this last season will be both epic and very emotional. I think making it will be pretty damn emotional, too, since this show has changed the life of every one of us who have worked on it. Anyway, writing is going really well, and we can’t wait to head into production next year.”

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“It means the world to me. I know enough about the entertainment industry and culture to know that having a hit show is like finding a unicorn in the woods. When I first read the Duffers’ pilot script, I knew their show was special, but none of us could predict the cultural impact it would have, the way it’s become a full-on franchise brand. It’s thrilling, but in the same breath, I want to make the point that we don’t let ourselves get distracted by the blockbuster status of the show; we focus on making great episodes, one by one, scene by scene, moment by moment. That’s what made Stranger Things a hit in the first place, and we are fiercely aware of that.”

Shawn Levy Will Only Direct One More Episode of Stranger Things, Busy with Deadpool 3

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Shawn Levy usually directs two episodes per season of Stranger Things but will only helm one for the final season since he’s hard at work on Deadpool 3, which will begin filming next year as well:

Levy reiterates his love for Stranger Things and the Duffer Brothers’ screenwriting talents, but the nature of scheduling made it impossible to keep his usual commitment to the series. Both Stranger Things and Deadpool 3 will release in 2024, so fans of either (or both) will have to wait patiently. Meanwhile, audiences can check out Shawn Levy’s other directorial work, such as Free Guy and The Adam Project, both of which star Ryan Reynolds.

“In fact, one of the first conversations I had with Ryan Reynolds and Marvel when we started talking about Deadpool was the fact that it was inevitably going to overlap in someway and at some point with the final season of Stranger Things. And it is really important to me to direct at least one episode in the last season. Part of why I feel so close to the Duffers and our cast is that I’ve been lucky to be involved directorially, which is a unique connection and creative intimacy. Anyway, it’s very much my intention to direct at least one episode of Stranger Things 5, and everyone involved is being really supportive and collaborative in figuring out the scheduling aspects of how I can do that.”

Stranger Things is created and written by brothers Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer. Paul Dichter and Kate Trefry also serve as writers for the series, which streams on Netflix. The cast includes Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, and Sadie Sink.