Noah Schnapp is keeping fans guessing about a potential on-screen romance between Will Byers and Mike Wheeler in the upcoming final season of Stranger Things.
In a new TikTok video posted on Monday, Oct. 27, the 21-year-old actor smiled as he read a fan’s comment asking the question that’s been circulating online for years: “Is byler happening or not?” The user, Mia, added a crying-face emoji to her post, referencing the popular ship name “Byler,” which combines the characters’ last names.
Schnapp, who portrays Will Byers, responded with a knowing grin. “You guys love saying this,” he said in the shirtless selfie video recorded from his bed. “And I never listen.” He went on to add, “It’s probably the most commented comment in all my late-night videos. And, I always ignore it.”
Though the actor didn’t give a direct answer, his light-hearted tone only intensified speculation among fans that the long-teased romantic tension between Will and Mike (played by Finn Wolfhard) might finally surface in the show’s fifth season. Comments flooded the post, with one user writing, “We need Byler,” and another insisting, “YOU IGNORE IT BECAUSE U KNOW IT’S TRUE OK.”
Just days before, Schnapp appeared to fan the flames even more when he uploaded another TikTok clip teasing a song that will reportedly appear in Stranger Things 5. The actor looked into the camera while the 1987 hit “I Think We’re Alone Now” by Tiffany played in the background. Over the video, he wrote, “This song will be in season 5… I wonder why,” and captioned it, “Y’all are on to something.”
The song choice, which centers on the theme of secret young love, immediately caught the attention of viewers. Many interpreted the post as another playful nod to Will’s long-suspected romantic feelings for Mike, a storyline that Stranger Things fans have been dissecting for years.
Much of that theory stems from a memorable season 4 scene where Will — while speaking about Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) — seemingly confesses his true emotions to Mike in disguise. In the scene, Will uses a painting he made for Mike to express his feelings indirectly. “My point is, see how you’re leading us here?” Will says, pointing to the picture. “You’re guiding the whole party, inspiring us. That’s what you do. And see your coat of arms here? It’s a heart. And I know it’s sort of on-the-nose, but that’s what holds this whole party together, heart! Because without heart, we’d all fall apart, even El, especially El.”
Will then adds that Eleven is “so different from other people,” and continues, “And when you’re different, sometimes you feel like a mistake. But you make her feel like she’s not a mistake at all.” His words leave him visibly emotional, suggesting he’s speaking as much about himself as about her.
Schnapp has previously confirmed that Will Byers is gay and has a crush on Mike. In an August 2023 interview with Variety, the actor revealed that his role helped him come to terms with his own identity. “Once I did fully embrace that Will was gay, it was just an exponential speed towards accepting it for myself,” Schnapp said. “I would be in a completely different place if I didn’t have Will to portray, and to embrace and help me accept myself. I think if I never played that character, I probably would still be closeted.”
While Schnapp’s latest TikToks have reignited hope for a Byler storyline, neither Netflix nor the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, have confirmed whether the series will explicitly explore that relationship in its final season.
Stranger Things 5 is set to conclude the hit sci-fi series with a three-part release on Netflix. Volume 1 will premiere on November 26, followed by Volume 2 on Christmas Day, and the series finale on New Year’s Eve. Each part will feature four episodes, marking the show’s final chapter after nearly a decade on screen.
Whether “Byler” finally becomes canon remains to be seen, but with Schnapp’s teasing posts and his playful acknowledgment of fan theories, excitement for Will Byers’ closing arc has never been higher.