Argyle The Pizza Guy Won't Be Back For Stranger Things Season 5

The final season of "Stranger Things" is down one team member: actor Eduardo Franco recently confirmed to "The Steve Varley Show" (via ScreenRant) that his character on the Netflix juggernaut, stoner Argyle, won't be back for season 5. "I never got a phone call, so yeah, I think that's it," Franco told Varley after the host mentioned fan concerns that he was missing from the first cast photo for the new season. Production has reportedly already begun on season 5, so unless Matt and Ross Duffer have a last-minute plan to get Franco back in the show later down the line, it seems his character will be absent during the show's endgame.

It's not exactly surprising that "Stranger Things" would want to cut down on its cast, especially given that season 4 earned some criticism for its bloating, multiple plotlines and sprawling casts. Yet Franco's character, hippie pizza delivery guy Argyle, was one of the better additions to the show in recent years. Personally, I'd much rather see more of his good-natured chaos than see more screen time devoted to Brett Gelman's obnoxious Murray, some new, shadowy government agent, or 20 minutes of flashback scenes. Since he was the newest character addition, Argyle didn't leave behind as many loose narrative threads as some other core heroes, but he also seems like he would've fit right in within a college setting if that's where the show's time jump ends up.

Franco seemed grateful for the fan response to his absence, saying, "It's nice to hear that there's some sort of concern, you know what I mean?" Argyle wasn't as universally embraced as another season 4 newbie, Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn), but he still delighted plenty of fans with his easy charm and great sense of humor. Before appearing on "Stranger Things," Franco had breakout roles in comedies including "The Package" and "Booksmart." He's also appeared on "You're the Worst," "Lady Dynamite," "Tacoma FD," and more. Franco is undoubtedly funny as hell, and hopefully, he'll be back on our screens in a new project in no time.

"Stranger Things" may finally be back in the news, but fans should still expect a bit of a wait before the new season premieres. The show put a pause on production in May 2023 in support of the WGA strike, and its cast and crew are also famously booked and busy during the off-season. Once "Stranger Things" does finally bow out, fans can expect to see a new story from the world the Duffer Brothers introduced back in 2016, as the duo formed Upside Down Pictures in 2022 with plans for both a spinoff and a stage play that's currently on London's West End. "Stranger Things" season 5 does not yet have a release date.