The ‘Stranger Things’ documentary ‘One Last Adventure’ has fans buzzing online after blurry screenshots suggested possible ChatGPT use in writing season 5. Coupled with unfinished scripts and missing cast members, the behind-the-scenes footage has sparked widespread debate.
Images: Netflix, OpenAI
If you thought ChatGPT was only for writing college assignments or venting out after a bad breakup (not recommended), ‘Stranger Things’ fans might have you thinking it is secretly writing scripts now.
The new Netflix documentary, ‘One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5’, dropped on January 12. And instead of cheers, it stirred a digital storm. Fans tuned in hoping for behind-the-scenes magic from the show’s final season, but what they got was controversy.
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The two-hour doc promised a peek into the Duffer brothers’ creative process, showing cast rehearsals, writer discussions, interviews about bringing the fifth season to life. From inside the writers’ room to on-set bloopers, viewers were expecting nostalgia and excitement.
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But one small detail quickly overshadowed the intended celebration.
Fans accuse the Duffer Brothers of using AI to write ‘Stranger Things’ final season after spotting ChatGPT tabs in behind-the-scenes documentary. pic.twitter.com/gxmYW2OCUJ
— Pop Crave (@PopCrave) January 13, 2026
Eagle-eyed fans spotted what they think were ChatGPT tabs open on a laptop in one behind-the-scenes shot.
Screenshots spread fast on social media, particularly on X, igniting a frenzy of speculation. Was ‘Stranger Things’ season 5 secretly AI-assisted? The accusation hit especially hard among viewers already critical of the final season’s plot and pacing.
It’s worth noting that the screenshots were blurry, and no one can confirm for sure that the tabs were ChatGPT. Yet, in true online fashion, fans ran with the idea of mixing disappointment over the finale with outrage over potential AI involvement.
Adding fuel to the fire, the Duffer brothers admitted in the documentary that they started production on season 5 without a finished finale script. That revelation caused fans to raise eyebrows and questions about the show’s planning.
Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, is shown asking director Shawn Levy to tweak a line because other characters weren’t aware Robin and Vickie were dating.
While Levy accommodated the change, fans online weren’t impressed.
Some viewers also noticed that David Harbour (Jim Hopper) and Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers) were absent from the documentary entirely. Their absence only added to the chatter with fans questioning why major cast members weren’t interviewed or shown during the final season’s making.
The missing pieces went on to leave fans speculating about behind-the-scenes drama or creative conflicts.
So far, neither Netflix nor the Duffer brothers have commented on the ChatGPT controversy. Whether AI really played a role or not, truth might come out soon. But the incident has certainly made ‘Stranger Things’ finale feel even more dramatic than Upside Down itself.
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