"One last adventure."
Stranger Things - Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Easter Eggs
Numerous direct homages to Steven Spielberg's 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial' (1982) are present, especially in Season 1.
Eleven's character arc mirrors E.T.'s: a powerful, non-human entity hidden by a group of suburban kids. Scenes of Eleven using her powers, the kids hiding her in the house, and the gang escaping on bicycles are direct visual and thematic references to the classic film. Eleven's love for Eggo waffles is also a nod to E.T.'s fascination with Reese's Pieces.
The works of Stephen King are a major source of inspiration for the series.
The show's logo font is reminiscent of the font used on many of King's 1980s book covers. The plot element of a group of kids banding together to fight a supernatural evil is a direct homage to King's novel 'It'. The kids walking along the railroad tracks is a visual reference to 'Stand by Me' (based on King's novella 'The Body').
The character of Nancy Wheeler and certain horror elements are references to 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' (1984).
Nancy's name is a nod to the film's protagonist, Nancy Thompson. The scene in Season 1 where the Demogorgon pushes through Joyce's wall is a visual echo of Freddy Krueger pushing through Nancy's wall. Season 4's villain, Vecna, who attacks teenagers in their minds through their trauma, is heavily inspired by Freddy Krueger. The season even features a cameo from Robert Englund, the original actor for Freddy.
The character of Jim Hopper shares many traits with Chief Brody from 'Jaws' (1975).
Both are police chiefs in small towns dealing with a new, unprecedented threat that the authorities want to cover up. Hopper's uniform and vehicle in the first season are also very similar to Chief Brody's, paying homage to another Spielberg classic that heavily influenced the Duffer Brothers.