Finn Wolfhard pokes fun at Stranger Things finale rumors in first SNL hosting gig
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Jan 19, 2026, 05:04 IST
Finn Wolfhard pokes fun at Stranger Things finale rumors in first SNL hosting gig
Finn Wolfhard hosted Saturday Night Live for the first time in 2026, using the episode to poke fun at fan theories surrounding the Stranger Things finale. Joined by co-stars Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo, Wolfhard starred in a sketch mocking rumored secret episodes and spinoffs. The trio also joked about growing up in the spotlight, blending humor with nostalgia.
Finn Wolfhard kicked off 2026 by hosting “Saturday Night Live” for the first time, and the show wasted no time poking fun at the wild theories around the “Stranger Things” finale. The episode leaned into fan speculation that a secret extra episode existed after the Netflix series ended on Dec. 31.
Wolfhard was joined by his “Stranger Things” co-stars Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo in a pre-recorded sketch that imagined a flood of ridiculous spinoffs. The fake ad teased shows centered on Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler and even a glossy, grown-up series about Mike Wheeler trying to make it as a writer. The joke escalated with a mock reveal of the long-rumored ninth episode, sending the characters to Iceland to claim that everything viewers saw before was an illusion created by Vecna. Kenan Thompson appeared as Eleven to complete the bit.
The sketch was a clear nod to online rumors that spread after the finale left some fans unhappy with its open-ended conclusion. Those theories claimed the real ending was still hidden and would undo much of what viewers had already seen. No such episode ever existed, but “SNL” turned the idea into one of the night’s biggest laughs.
McLaughlin and Matarazzo also showed up during Wolfhard’s monologue, surprising the audience as Wolfhard joked about no longer being a kid. McLaughlin followed by saying they were no longer child stars, and Matarazzo added that headlines using that phrase usually turn out well. The trio also lightly mocked fans who commented online about how they had changed over the years.
Wolfhard ended the moment on a warmer note, telling his castmates, “We’re men now, but you’ll always be my boys.”
Wolfhard was joined by his “Stranger Things” co-stars Caleb McLaughlin and Gaten Matarazzo in a pre-recorded sketch that imagined a flood of ridiculous spinoffs. The fake ad teased shows centered on Steve Harrington, Nancy Wheeler and even a glossy, grown-up series about Mike Wheeler trying to make it as a writer. The joke escalated with a mock reveal of the long-rumored ninth episode, sending the characters to Iceland to claim that everything viewers saw before was an illusion created by Vecna. Kenan Thompson appeared as Eleven to complete the bit.
The sketch was a clear nod to online rumors that spread after the finale left some fans unhappy with its open-ended conclusion. Those theories claimed the real ending was still hidden and would undo much of what viewers had already seen. No such episode ever existed, but “SNL” turned the idea into one of the night’s biggest laughs.
McLaughlin and Matarazzo also showed up during Wolfhard’s monologue, surprising the audience as Wolfhard joked about no longer being a kid. McLaughlin followed by saying they were no longer child stars, and Matarazzo added that headlines using that phrase usually turn out well. The trio also lightly mocked fans who commented online about how they had changed over the years.
Wolfhard ended the moment on a warmer note, telling his castmates, “We’re men now, but you’ll always be my boys.”