Stranger Things Season 5's New Holly Actor Is A Bad Omen After Her 2023 Horror Movie

Summary Stranger Things season 5 casting raises concerns due to Nell Fisher's role in a horror reboot, hinting at potential danger for her character.

References to Evil Dead in past seasons hint at a grim fate for Holly Wheeler in season 5, with high stakes and a dark turn for the show.

The possibility of Holly's death in season 5 is too bleak for a show like Stranger Things, and would overshadow existing character arcs.

The news that Stranger Things season 5 has cast Nell Fisher could be troubling after the young actor’s earlier appearance in a classic horror franchise’s recent reboot. Since the series began, Stranger Things has always worn the show’s ‘80s nostalgia on its sleeve. Influenced by the works of Steven Spielberg and Stephen King in equal measure, the small-town sci-fi mystery series blends elements from Amblin adventure movies, body horrors, and coming-of-age comedies in its uniquely ‘80s-inspired plot. By the looks of things, the show’s final outing, the upcoming Stranger Things season 5, will be no different.

One horror franchise that has repeatedly been referenced throughout the series is the quintessentially ‘80s Evil Dead movies. Stranger Things season 4’s villain Vecna resembled a lot of classic slasher villains, but the cabin in the woods where Will’s season 2 exorcism took place was specifically reminiscent of The Evil Dead’s setting. The deer head mounted on a cabin wall in season 3 was another nod to the series, as was The Evil Dead poster hanging on Jonathan’s wall back in season 1. Finally, the camerawork in season 1 borrowed from the franchise’s uniquely kinetic filming style.

Related Stranger Things Animated Series: Everything We Know About The Netflix Spinoff Netflix is working on an animated series set in the Stranger Things universe. This is everything to know about the upcoming cartoon spin-off.

Holly's Stranger Things Season 5 Role Recalls Nell Fisher's Evil Dead Rise Story

Both Stranger Things and The ‘80s Horror Reboot Feature Possessions

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All of this is fun for viewers of the series, but it might not bode well for one recurring character. Mike and Nancy’s little sister, Holly Wheeler, has been recast as Evil Dead Rise star Nell Fisher in season 5, with the 13-year-old taking over from twins Tinsley and Anniston Price. Fisher’s Holly is a prime candidate for an attack by Vecna, and the fact that her Evil Dead Rise character was one of only two to avoid possession or death seems to bode badly in this regard. After all, Stranger Things has a history of subverting casting expectations.

Stranger Things season 2 cleverly cast Aliens villain Paul Reiser as a surprisingly heroic figure before casting The Princess Bride’s hero Cary Elwes as a scummy, corrupt mayor in season 3. Clearly, the series is invested in keeping viewers guessing by casting actors in roles that subvert their earlier parts. Since Fisher recently starred in Evil Dead Rise and hers was one of only two characters to emerge from the movie alive and intact, it seems like a foregone conclusion that Holly Wheeler won’t be so fortunate. To make matters worse, everything else about Holly’s role also points to doom.

Things Don't Look Good For Holly Wheeler In Stranger Things Season 5

Stranger Things Often Centers Characters Before Killing Them

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Fisher’s role in a high-profile movie franchise means that Holly is likely to play a bigger role than ever before in season 5. A lot of Stranger Things season 5 characters are in danger of dying, but Holly needs to be particularly careful since she has been largely relegated to the background of the series until now. From season 2’s Bob to season 3’s Billy to season 4’s Eddie, generally, supporting characters who suddenly get more story focus are doomed to die a tragic death in their respective season’s finale.

Killing off Holly would mean killing a close relative of Nancy and Mike while simultaneously allowing Stranger Things to avoid getting rid of a fan favorite character.

Holly Wheeler is likely to die in Stranger Things season 5 since this allows the show to artificially inflate its stakes. Killing off Holly would mean killing a close relative of Nancy and Mike while simultaneously allowing Stranger Things to avoid getting rid of a fan favorite character. Holly’s death would be uniquely devastating since she is a child, but it would also not have too much of an impact on the show’s existing cast chemistry since she hasn’t been a big part of the series until now. This cynical maneuver would make Stranger Things season 5 seem uniquely dark.

Stranger Things Season 5 Really Shouldn't Kill Off Holly Wheeler

Mike and Nancy’s Sister Dying Would Be Too Dark

However, Stranger Things season 5 can’t pull off Holly's death, considering even Evil Dead Rise couldn’t bring itself to kill the young actor’s character. Even for the final season, which is set to have higher stakes than ever before, killing off a child as young as Holly would be way too bleak. Furthermore, even if season 5 does offer Holly more screen time, dwelling on her death would likely lead viewers to realize that Nancy and Mike have never shown much interest in their younger sister before now.

If Stranger Things season 5’s Holly Wheeler was one of Vecna’s victims, this would make Mike and Nancy’s relationship drama with Eleven, Jonathan, and Steve seem inconsequential in contrast. It would be tough for the Wheelers to care about their love lives if they lost their little sister and, even at its darkest, Stranger Things isn’t well suited to themes as bleak as child death. There is a reason that season 1’s apparent Will Byers death turned out to be a fake-out, and Stranger Things season 5 should remember this when planning Holly Wheeler’s subplot.