Eduardo Franco says he won’t be returning for the final season of Stranger Things

I hate to break it to you folks, but Eduardo Franco won't be returning to Stranger Things.

It was recently confirmed that the final series has started production as the official Stranger Things Instagram page shared a snap of the cast together.

"THIS IS A CODE RED," the post's caption began.

"STRANGER THINGS 5 production has officially begun!!!"

The likes of Millie Bobby Brown, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, and David Harbour were all seen in the photo - but fans were quick to spot that Franco was missing.

Franco joined the Stranger Things cast in season four as Jonathan Byer's best friend, Argyle.

He quickly became a fan favorite as the comedic pizza delivery guy, but, despite his popularity, it looks Franco isn't reprising his role for the fifth and final season of the popular TV show.

Atsushi Nishijima/Netflix

Speaking on the Steve Varley Show, Varley noted that fans of the Netflix show were quick to spot that he wasn't pictured in the recently-shared cast photograph as production begins.

Following a string of questions about his recent role in Hulu's Self Reliance, Varley went on to ask: "Before I let you go, I just want to ask real quick, because it’s on everyone’s mind. You don’t have to answer this, but fans kind of went to a panic with the cast photo of day one of Stranger Things season five...

"Now they’re thinking you’re not in the season. Can you give us hopes that you are? And can you say anything if not?"

Netflix

"It’s nice to hear that there’s, there’s some sort of, you know, concern or something, you know what I mean?" Franco replied, flattered that people seem to want him to be featured in the new season.

"But I never a got a phone call, so I think that's it," he went on.

Varley went on to say that he still has hope that he'll return as Argyle yet, but Franco didn't seem so convinced.

Stranger Things fans have since expressed their disappointment at the news.

One penned: "Wow that’s actually shocking if he’s not in the Stranger Things last season."

"I'm p*ssed," fumed another.

"What are the duffers going to do? Argyle just disappears? They send him back to Cali but he knows about everything thats happening? Give him a propper ending man, Argyle deserves that."

Another urged that Stranger Things writers 'at least get him in an episode or two to actually write him off properly'.

UNILAD has contacted Netflix for comment.