Stranger Things special effects producers Paul and Christina Graff explain the season two VFX of the Upside Down, the demodog Dart, and that shadowy motherfucker from the finale.

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Sean R. Heavey claims that Stranger Things used his storm cloud photo (top image) without permission in concept art (second image above) that eventually became a scene in the show. From Photographer: ‘Stranger Things’ Used My Storm Cloud Without Permission:

Heavey says he realized that the cloud that appears in the Stranger Things episode looked extremely similar to his but wasn’t the same one. A few weeks later, however, Heavey’s friend was watching the Beyond Stranger Things behind-the-scenes special (episode 3) on Netflix when he noticed the concept art that was used by the Stranger Things crew...

After Heavey reached out to Netflix with his complaint, the company responded by saying that the cloud in his photo isn’t protected by copyright.

“They are saying the only similarity that exists is the use of a similar cloud formation, that copyright law does not protect objects as they appear in nature, and that an artist can’t claim a monopoly over real-world public domain objects such as a cloud formation,” Heavey says. “The problem with that argument is that it’s not a similar cloud they use — it’s my cloud photo.”

Heavey thinks the Netflix counsel didn't even look at his image comparisons before responding. He's now lawyered up and figuring out his next steps.

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On Friday, Netflix announced a new cast member for the upcoming season of Stranger Things. Maya Thurman-Hawke, the 19-year-old daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, will join the hit show as Robin, the "alternative girl."

Variety writes:

Hawke will play an “alternative girl” bored with her mundane day job. She seeks excitement in her life and gets more than she bargained for when she uncovers a dark secret in Hawkins, Ind.

Ooooo...

photo via Netflix Read the rest

Talking to the dead has never been easier or more closely tied to a hit TV show than with this Stranger Things Ouija board. Its letters match the makeshift wall alphabet-lights that Joyce made to communicate with her son (who was in the "upside down," not dead) in season one.

It's available for $19.99, if you dare.

(Super Punch) Read the rest

UK Etsy seller Retromend (who specialise in vintage VW-related gifts) sell this Stranger Things-themed Upside Down doormat (coir fibers with rubber backing) for £20/USD27. (via Geeky Merch) Read the rest

Things have been turned upside down (see what I did there?) in the world of Stranger Things as the good folks at Bad Lip Reading have dubbed over original scenes from the show and created a funny sitcom version of it (Wonder Years, anyone?). It's 18 minutes long and worth a watch, especially if you're a fan of the popular Netflix series.

(Neatorama)

Previously: Watch this Bad Lip Reading of Trump's inauguration day Read the rest

In Sharing Things, Cookie Monster stars as Cookiegorgon, a monster who eats all the treats in town. Lots of inside jokes for those who love the series, including barfing up gummy worms and bad Eleven-themed puns. Read the rest

What do people most want to know about Stranger Things? Google's search engine's autocomplete will tell us. Here's Stranger Things stars Joe Keery and Gaten Matarazzo to answer those most-commonly asked questions about their hit show and themselves.

It's called the WIRED Autocomplete Interview: Stranger Things is based on a true story, kinda Read the rest

Brazilian artist Butcher Billy describes himself as a "pop culture butcher obsessively looking for the perfect cut." I think he's found just that with his latest artworks.

The nine-piece series imagines each episode of Stranger Things 2, from "MADMAX" to "The Gate," as the cover of an 80s-style paperback book. So cool!

Billy's work has been featured several times here on Boing Boing. If his work is your kind of thing, his Instagram is definitely worth following.

(Design Taxi) Read the rest

Stranger Things is a huge pop culture phenomenon, no matter how you look at it. Case in point, Newsweek is reporting that thousands of the show's fans crashed the Science Museum of Minnesota's website on Tuesday morning trying to score a purple Brontosaurus hoodie. The sweatshirt, a replica of a retired one the museum sold in the 1980s, was worn in the first episode of Season 2 by one of the main characters, Dustin Henderson.

...The St. Paul-based museum noticed the costume choice right away, calling attention to the sweatshirt on its Facebook page: "Stranger Things fans: Check out what Dustin is wearing in Season 2, episode 1! Yes, we want one too. Working on it!"

The hoodie finally went on sale Tuesday morning on the museum's website. But museum staffers underestimated demand: It wasn't long before the influx of web traffic crashed the website, leaving disappointed fans shut out.

But the site's back up and more than 80,000 purple hoodies have already been sold, at $36.95 a pop.

In addition to the hoodie, tee-shirts and sweatshirts with the "Thunder Lizard" art are now also available.

The museum stated in a Facebook post that proceeds from the sales of the line will support their educational outreach programs. Read the rest

Cousin Larry and Balki are back thanks to Jimmy Kimmel Live. This comedic mashup imagines what it would like if Balki from Perfect Strangers brought home the Demogorgon from Stranger Things.

The new season of 'Stranger Things' came out, and it's very popular. It's a great combination of new and classic. The show is full of references from the 80s and now Netflix is taking that one step further with a new spin-off series that teams the kids from Hawkins, Indiana with two beloved characters from the past named Larry and Balki. #PerfectStrangerThings

Spoiler alert: hilarity and hijinks ensue. Read the rest

Firebox's $36.69 Eleven candle-holder: insert one red candle, light, and wait for the blood to start dribbling from her nostril. Caution: telekinesis. (via Bonnie Burton) Read the rest

Carbohydrate whisperer Jessica Leigh Clark-Bojin (AKA @thePieous) (previously), author of Pies Are Awesome Vol 1 "Pie-Modding": How to Epic-Up Store Bought Pies and Be the Hero of the Party" writes, "I Mucha'd up Eleven with waffles. In pie form. As ya do. I'm incredibly psyched for season 2 - Stranger Things is everything I love in pop culture wadded up, thrown in a blender, and poured out all over my TV set. But, you know, sophisticatedly. " Read the rest

Agonizingly, the Stranger Things game—a point-and-click adventure in the style of Lucasarts' late-eighties classic such as Zak McKraken and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade—is just a spoof. It's so detailed and pixel-perfect, though, they it seems they must have made the game, complete with ridiculously precise and incomprehensible puzzles, just to record to video of it. Read the rest

In Paper Girls, the celebrated comics creator Brian K Vaughan (Saga, Y: The Last Man, etc) teams up with Cliff Chiang to tell a story that's like an all-girl Stranger Things, with time-travel. Read the rest

At last night's SAG Awards, Stranger Things star David K. Harbour used his acceptance speech opportunity to deliver a killer rant about fighting for freedom, the meek, disenfranchised, and the marginalized. Meanwhile, the wonderful Winona Ryder had all of the feels.

Here's Harbour's full speech:

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Stranger Things stars Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp couldn’t be more jazzed that their Netflix show was nominated for Best Drama Series (along with a nod to Winona Ryder for Best Actress in a Drama Series). Read the rest