Stranger Things Finale Accused Of Using 'Nasty' AI Despite Eye-Watering £300m Budget

Imagine sinking hundreds of millions into a cultural juggernaut only to have fans cry foul over a sketch in the end credits. That's the unlikely storm Netflix faced with the Stranger Things finale, released on New Year's Eve, when eagle-eyed viewers spotted what they believed was a telltale sign of artificial intelligence creeping into the production.

Despite reports pegging the Season 5 budget at a staggering $400 million, roughly £300 million at current rates, the backlash was swift, with some labelling the artwork as 'nasty work' unworthy of such lavish spending.

The controversy centred on a simple animated sketch in the credits sequence depicting Nancy Wheeler, played by Natalia Dyer, gripping a gun. It was a nod to an early moment when her boyfriend Jonathan, portrayed by Charlie Heaton, taught her to shoot.

But the rendering of her fingers on the trigger looked off—mangled, some said—sparking immediate accusations of AI generation. Reddit users like u/DogVaporizer and u/Cusaminer were among the first to flag it, fuelling a firestorm online.

For fans who have invested nearly a decade in the Upside Down saga, the idea of cutting corners with AI on a show renowned for its practical effects and nostalgic craftsmanship felt like a betrayal.

With Puck News reporting costs of $50-$60 million per episode across eight instalments, the total outlay for Season 5 reached $400-$480 million, making it one of Netflix's priciest productions ever. Why, they asked, resort to cheap tech for something as basic as credits?

Fans Furious Over Alleged AI in Stranger Things Finale Credits

The outrage spread rapidly to X, where users vented their frustration. One post captured the sentiment perfectly: the image screamed AI, especially given the eye-watering budget.

Reactions poured in, with many echoing the disappointment of a finale that, for all its spectacle, seemed to skimp on artistry. It wasn't just about the aesthetics; it touched on broader anxieties about AI infiltrating Hollywood, diluting the human touch that made Stranger Things a phenomenon in the first place.

Yet, as quickly as the claims ignited, they were extinguished by fellow fans armed with evidence. One user, @MitchIsWhy, posted a side-by-side comparison of the original scene and the animated version, proving the sketch faithfully captured Nancy's awkward, real-life grip on the pistol. The fingers weren't deformed by algorithms; they mirrored the actor's actual pose from the episode.

Debunking the AI Claims in Stranger Things Season 5

The Reddit moderators stepped in decisively, removing one contentious post and clarifying the truth. The u/StrangerThings-ModTeam explained that the artwork was hand-drawn in the show's distinctive style, where stylised proportions could easily be mistaken for AI glitches.

Another commenter broke it down further: 'The fingers just look 'mangled' because of the art style,' they wrote, pointing viewers to the source footage at the 1:22 mark of the relevant scene.

This wasn't the first time Stranger Things Season 5 had drawn nitpicks earlier flak over a wardrobe anachronism involving Under Armour on Holly Wheeler was quietly fixed post-release, but the AI furore highlighted fans' protective streak towards the Duffer Brothers' vision.

In the end, the credits stood as a loving tribute, not a shortcut. While some disappointments lingered about the finale's narrative payoff, the AI row proved to be much ado about nothing, a reminder of how scrutiny intensifies around tentpole shows with budgets this colossal. As Hawkins returns to the rightside up, at least the credits stayed authentically human.