Noah Schnapp Lands Major Movie Role After Stranger Things

Published Sep 10, 2026, 8:59 PM EDT

Growing up around performers, storytelling was always central to Emma's life. Add in a nerdy older brother who introduced her to Marvel at far too young an age, and her love for entertainment led her to pursue a Journalism degree at Indiana University, where she discovered her passion for entertainment reporting. She spent nearly one year in Los Angeles covering industry stories and fully immersing herself in the world of entertainment media.

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Noah Schnapp has officially found his first movie role since the end of Stranger Things.

After spending a decade playing Will Byers on Netflix's hit sci-fi series, Schnapp is set to star in the upcoming thriller Stealing From Pablo. The movie will also feature Gotham star David Mazouz and City of God actor Seu Jorge, giving Schnapp another major project as he begins the next stage of his career beyond Hawkins.

According to Deadline, Schnapp and Mazouz will lead Stealing From Pablo, a thriller inspired by true events from the 1980s. Directed by Carlos V. Gutierrez, the movie follows foster teenager Red and his best friend Dylan, who sneak into an abandoned Florida mansion for an underground skate session, only to discover that the property belongs to drug kingpin Pablo Escobar. The pair soon find themselves pulled into his dangerous criminal empire.

The casting marks Schnapp's first announced movie role following his performance as Will Byers in Stranger Things. Schnapp was just 11 years old when the Netflix series premiered in 2016, with Will's disappearance setting the show's story in motion. He remained a central part of the series throughout its run as his connection to the Upside Down continued to shape the larger story.

Schnapp is far from the only Stranger Things star quickly moving into a new phase of his career. Several members of the longtime ensemble have already lined up major projects beyond Hawkins, with multiple cast members making the jump to Marvel. Sadie Sink has joined the MCU, while Joseph Quinn, who became a fan favorite as Eddie Munson, made his Marvel debut as Johnny Storm in The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

However, Stealing From Pablo won't be Schnapp's first project after Stranger Things. The actor will make his stage debut this month in Andy Sandberg's dark comedy Affluenza in London. His new thriller will then mark his return to the big screen and reunite him with Jorge, whom he previously starred alongside in the 2019 coming-of-age movie Abe.

The movie also has a connection between its two young leads beyond their similar experiences growing up on television. Gutierrez explained that Schnapp and Mazouz both love skateboarding, which helped make them a natural fit for the characters. The director also pointed to their shared experiences growing up in front of the camera as something that could strengthen their onscreen friendship.

For Schnapp, Stealing From Pablo represents a very different role from Will Byers. Instead of facing supernatural threats in Hawkins, his new movie places its young characters in the middle of a dangerous crime story inspired by events from the 1980s. Schnapp will also have a role behind the scenes as one of the movie's executive producers.

Mazouz, meanwhile, similarly spent much of his childhood playing one recognizable television character, starring as a young Bruce Wayne throughout all five seasons of Gotham. That shared history could make seeing the former Will Byers and Bruce Wayne actors together particularly fun for fans who grew up watching both shows.

Stealing From Pablo gives Schnapp the chance to return to the big screen with a familiar co-star while stepping into a new chapter beyond Stranger Things.