Gremlins, It, Stand By Me and more: Stranger Things 2’s biggest pop culture references (Report)

Stranger Things is obviously successful thanks to its own superb story-telling, but its references to classic slices of pop culture, TV and films genuinely make it feel you’ve fallen through The Upside Down and landed in 1984.

Creators The Duffer Brothers’ wear their cinematic influences on their sleeves, and as a result, Stranger Things 2 goes hard on the nods. Here’s the pick of the bunch.

Episode 1: MADMAX

The Terminator

The Hawkins local cinema displays a sign for The Terminator, which comes out two days after the show is set in 1984.

St Elmo’s Fire

The Duffer Brothers said that they based character Billy’s look on Rob Lowe’s character in St. Elmo’s Fire – and tbh, they’ve smashed it here.

Episode 2: Trick or Treat, Freak

Ghostbusters

Four months earlier, however, Ghostbusters came out and changed the Halloween costume game forever.

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E.T.

Here, they resurrect E.T.s ghost outfit, but with Eleven offering the spooks this time.

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Risky Business

In Episode 2, Steve and Nancy go to a Halloween party – where you can see toga-clad lads, zombies and more. These two, however, go as Rebecca De Mornay and Tom Cruise from the film Risky Business.

Episode 3: The Pollywog

Gremlins

In Gremlins, Billy‘s mogwai famously starts off very sweet, but gets a bit rancid when it’s had a bite to eat and some late nights. Same applies to Dustin’s little discovery,  Dart, which goes from adorable little slug…