Stranger Things Premiere: Millie Bobby Brown & David Harbour Re-sync, Director Debunks 'Bullying' Glitch as 'Wildly Inaccurate' – What's the Real Dev Log?
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour reunited at the *Stranger Things* Season 5 premiere, publicly dismissing recent 'bullying' allegations against Harbour, with director Shawn Levy branding the reports as 'wildly inaccurate.' This comes amidst heightened scrutiny for Harbour and a public display of unity just before the final season's staggered release.
Alright, buckle up, legends, because the Upside Down isn't the only place with a bit of drama lately! Just when you thought the biggest news about *Stranger Things* Season 5 was that monstrous $270 Blu-Ray collection (fair dinkum, 25 discs and a D20? That's a loot drop!), we've had a whole new questline pop up.
Last night, at the *Stranger Things* Season 5 premiere – yeah, the one we've been waiting for like Christmas morning – stars Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour were spotted doing the classic co-star 'reunited and it feels so good' jig. Which, frankly, was a bit of a plot twist, given what dropped last week.
See, The Daily Mail, bless 'em, ran a story suggesting young MBB had reportedly lodged "pages and pages of accusations" concerning "harassment and bullying" against Harbour. No nasty business of a sexual impropriety kind, mind you, but proper workplace kerfuffle. The rumour mill (or should I say, the *lore* mill?) suggested Netflix had been on a lengthy investigation quest for 'months,' even assigning Millie Bobby Brown a personal assistant for her on-set adventures. Bit of a strange side-quest, wouldn't you say?
But then, boom! Red carpet, bright lights, and there they are: Brown and Harbour, looking chummier than ever. Chatting, posing, even standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Netflix big wigs like co-CEO Ted Sarandos and CCO Bela Bajaria. It was a masterclass in 'nothing to see here, folks, just good ol' mates having a natter.' Almost like they were trying to re-sync their public image after a bit of network lag, eh?
Naturally, the director, Shawn Levy – the chap also wrangling *Deadpool & Wolverine*, so he knows a thing or two about chaotic energy – was straight-up grilled about these 'allegations' and how he keeps the set from turning into a real-life Demogorgon encounter. And what did he say, according to The Hollywood Reporter? "Wildly inaccurate!" That's the magical incantation he used, dismissing the 'noise' around the stories. Reckons it's all part of the job to create a "respectful workplace" where everyone feels safe, and they're "proud" they did just that. "We view this crew and this cast as family," he said. "And so we treat each other with respect, and that's always been bedrock." Sounds like the ideal guild charter, doesn't it?
Even co-creator Matt Duffer chimed in with a similar sentiment, though a tad more diplomatically: "Can't get into personal onset matters, mate," he effectively said, "but we've been at this for a decade, they're family, and keeping everyone safe and happy is the main quest." Fair enough, I suppose. It's tough to get devs to spill *all* the beans on internal build issues.
Now, just to add another layer to this digital tea leaf reading, this isn't Harbour's first encounter with the scrutiny monster lately. His ex-wife, Lily Allen, just dropped an album, 'West End Girl,' that's apparently a no-holds-barred narrative of their 'acrimonious breakup.' Talk about a compelling character backstory, eh? It certainly adds to the public perception meta-game.
So, while we're all trying to figure out if this was a genuine kerfuffle or just a pre-release narrative boss battle, the actual *Stranger Things* Season 5 is still locked and loaded. You'll get your first four episodes on November 26th – apparently, there's a sneaky five-minute teaser out there already, for those who can't wait to jump into the next dungeon. Then, a fresh batch of episodes drops on December 25th (Merry Christmas, you lovely lot!), with the grand finale hitting on December 31st. Just in time to ring in the New Year with a bittersweet farewell to Hawkins.
What do you reckon, folks? Was this a genuine bug in the system quickly patched, or just some clever PR devs optimising for launch? Either way, it's never dull in the realm of big-budget productions, is it? More twists than a speedrunner's glitch compilation! (Original intel gathered by Tom Phillips for IGN South Africa – cheers, mate!)
Tags: StrangerThings, GameDev, Community, Lore, IP
Original article: IGN South Africa