Popverse's top stories of the day

• Winona Ryder was reduced to tears on the set of Stranger Things when the young cast couldn't identify a vinyl record
• Watch: The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power cast explains what's coming in season 2
• Bleach's character designer says pop culture's greatest villain isn't from anime, but Disney

Yes, we know we’ve been waiting a long time for Stranger Things season 5. You know who else knows it has been a long time? The cast and crew. Even though they’ve been hard at work filming the final season of one of Netflix’s biggest shows of all time, one member of the cast has decided to poke a little fun at the long wait – and the fans who have been waiting impatiently – by posting a picture of what he and his castmates might look by the time the season comes out.

Caleb McLaughlin, who has been playing Lucas since season one of Stranger Things, posted a picture on his social media with some of the cast aged up significantly. He gave himself a pretty substantial beard with some dignified greying, while Max’s actress, Sadie Sink, somehow looks older than future Maya Hawke’s Robin. Caleb posted the image with the caption “Sneak peak of Season 5.”

Considering there was once talk of the producers using anti-aging technology to keep the young actors looking the right age for their characters, this little joke feels even more on the nose. One of the big dangers of a show like Stranger Things is that young people don’t stay looking young forever. They grow up, change, and get significantly better haircuts. It has been eight years since we were introduced to the Hawkins kids – they’re now either well into their 20s or about to get there.

Of course, maybe McLaughlin’s post is less a joke and more a pitch for his own spin-off show in thirty years. We’d be down for an Old Man Lucas series. He could just be playing the long game with his career.

Netflix's Stranger Things is heading into its grand finale - of the main show that is. While you wait, make sure you've watched all of the franchise (including the spinoffs in books and comics) with our Stranger Things guide, know who the Stranger Things season 5 cast, and what Dustin actor Gaten Matarazzo things would make the show better (more deaths). .