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Is Eddie Munson really dead? I mean, the answer is almost certainly yes, but Stranger Things have happened. (See what I did there?) Yes, death is kind of a malleable issue at this point in Netflix's scifi thriller, due largely to the fact that it appeared lead character Jim Hopper had died in season 3, only to come Hoppering back, albeit without hair. If there's anybody that knows, however, it's Stranger Things co-creator Matt Duffer, and according to a recent statement, it appears the actor really is out of the Hawkins game for good

The quote in question comes form an interview that Duffer did with Empire Magazine, ahead of Stranger Things' season 5 debut coming next month.

"I love that Joe Quinn is toying with people," Duffer told the outlet, "But no, he's dead. Joe is so busy anyway, that everyone should know he's not coming back. He's shot like five movies since! When the hell has he got time to come and shoot Stranger Things? No, sadly, RIP. He’s fully under that ground."

Actually, Matt, since Eddie Munson's season of Stranger Things (the fourth) wrapped filming in 2021, Quinn has filmed... oh, wait, you hit the nail on the head. The five projects Quinn has starred in since have been Hoard, A Quiet Place: Part One, Gladiator II, Warfare, and The Fantastic Four: First Steps, in that order, and Quinn is returning as Johnny Storm in Avengers: Doomsday and possibly Avengers: Secret Wars. Oh! And don't forget the fact that Quinn is playing George Harrison in the Beatles cinematic universe films (no, I'm not making that up), which is rumored to consist of at least 4 films right now.

Sure, that doesn't mean it's impossible for Quinn to come back as Eddie Munson (maybe as a Force ghost?), but on this side of the Stranger Things finale, it sure does seem unlikely.

Stranger Things season 5, volume one debuts November 26 on Netflix, followed by volume 2 on December 25, and the ultimate finale of the series on December 31.  

As we all collectively wait for Stranger Things season 5, here's the keys to getting ready:

• How to watch Stranger Things in chronological or release order
• Getting to know the Stranger Things season 5 cast
• There needs to be more death in Stranger Things, says co-star Gaten Matarazzo
• The Stranger Things time jump between season 4 and 5 has been confirmed by Netflix - and it raises some serious questions
• "They land the plane," David Harbour describes the Stranger Things finale, which he calls its "best episode"