- Özgür Töre
Season four of the Netflix series Stranger Things was being shot in Vilnius, Lithuania. Preparations for the production started last November and filming ended on 14 February.
The crew, along with some of the show’s fan-favourite actors, have been busy filming episodes for the upcoming season, which still has no official release date. The show was filmed at the former century-old Lukiškes Prison and other locations in Lithuania.
The prison, which was built and began holding inmates in the early 1900s, just ceased operations last year. During the tumultuous 20th century in Vilnius, interchanging regimes – including Imperial Russia, the Soviet Union, Nazi Germany, and finally, independent Lithuania – all used the structure as a prison.
While working in Vilnius, the show’s Director Shawn Levy remarked, "From the start, Stranger Things has been inspiring all of us lucky enough to work on it. My adventure here in Lithuania in bringing the reveal of the ‘American’ to life has been a huge challenge but an even bigger inspiration, and we are so thankful to the city of Vilnius and the beautiful country of Lithuania for their hospitality. The Duffers and I have been working alongside the brilliant Netflix team for months to pull off this surprise. All the hard work was worth it, however, to bring our fans—the greatest fans in the world—this epic reveal they’ve been hoping and waiting for. And this is only the beginning."
Vilnius is becoming an increasingly popular shooting destination among filmmakers globally. Other hit shows like HBO’s Chernobyl, and Netflix’s Young Wallander and Tokyo Trial were also shot in Vilnius in recent years. The city is attracting high-profile productions due to its multifaceted history, ability to provide backdrops representing different historical periods, and a highly skilled film industry workforce.
“The fact that cult series like Stranger Things keep choosing Vilnius as a filming destination is a testament to the city’s many-sided nature. The cinema world finds Vilnius to be open, green, easy to get around while being historic and modern at the same time - all the qualities that Vilnius locals love their city for. The ability to transform the city is what attracts filmmakers the most,” added the Mayor of Vilnius Remigijus Šimašius.
