Stranger Things Cast Bonded Over Mario Kart During Final Season Filming

The cast of Stranger Things spent much of their downtime playing Mario Kart while filming the show’s fifth and final season, according to comments from several cast members.

Production on the final season began on January 8, 2024, and wrapped in December after nearly a year of filming. During that time, video games became a regular part of the cast’s off-set routine.

In an interview with IGN, Maya Hawke said 2024 marked the year she finally improved at Mario Kart, though she admitted she still struggles to keep up with her co-star Sadie Sink.

“But not actually good,” Hawke said, adding that Sink beats her every time. “She’s a monster at Mario Kart. She’s so good.”

Hawke also shared that she typically races as Luigi and has recently been spending time playing the murder mystery party game Blood on the Clocktower.

Before filming began, Gaten Matarazzo told Screen Rant that he had become “scarily good” at Mario Kart. He said his skill level reached a point where others no longer enjoyed playing against him, which he described as “a great flex.” Matarazzo added that he usually chooses Link or Yoshi and uses the same characters when playing Super Smash Bros..

Matarazzo also drew attention late last year for joking about the long development timeline of Grand Theft Auto VI. Referring to its delays, he noted that the entire run of Stranger Things was completed during the wait for the game’s release. Despite the frustration, he said he supports the delay if it results in a better final product.

Meanwhile, co-star Finn Wolfhard has expressed interest in joining the planned God of War adaptation. Wolfhard joked that he would prefer to play Kratos rather than the character’s son, adding that he would be willing to bulk up for the role.