TikTok Of Floating Max Stranger Things Halloween Decoration Goes Viral, But One Neighbor Wasn’t Happy

Stranger Things took the world, and the 2022 TV schedule, by storm this summer. Between the show's popularity and with spooky season upon us, fans are adding some Stranger Things flare into their Halloween décor. In late September, a Halloween display in Plainfield, Illinois, went viral on TikTok. The Appel family recreated the fan-favorite character Max floating in the air during one of the iconic scenes from Season 4 of Stranger Things. However, the neighbors weren’t too thrilled by it. 

One of the Appel family’s neighbors requested them to close the display, because of the crowds it created. However, Dave Appel told CBS News that they have received lots of support online, and are doing what they can to keep the display up, and open to the public. Appel explained: 

I can sympathize that if you're not comfortable with a lot of people, or a lot of people around your home at all times, it could be overwhelming. If someone's having trouble with our display, we want to make sure that we can adjust our hours down. So we technically remaining closed until we've spoken with City Hall and just gotten every sort of green light we can have imaginable.

The Appels posted on Facebook that they have spoken with the police department, their other neighbors, and others in the community. They noted they have made “unreal progress,” but were going to keep the display closed, because they “want the dust to settle.” They made it clear though that the display is not down or permanently closed though.

This display shows a dummy dressed as Max floating high up in the air. The illusion is pretty cool, and with the show’s popularity, it makes sense why so many people have gone to see the display. The TikTok the family posted of the display now has 1.5 million likes, you can check it out here: 

@horrorprops

♬ Stranger Things - Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein

Over the summer, Sadie Sink’s character Max skyrocketed in popularity. This was because of a scene where her body is possessed by Vecna and she floats in the air. The way she is saved is by playing a Kate Bush song through her Walkman. Sink has described what it was like filming the floating scene, and her relationship with the song. While fans started using “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)” by Kate Bush in the background of TikToks, causing the song and the scene to go viral. 

I think it’s so cool these people engineered a floating Max for Halloween. While we all wait for Stranger Things Season 5 this is a cool way to keep the show in conversation, even though the neighbors don't love it. 

Along with this display, and lots of TikToks, Sadie Sink is staying in the public eye. She stars with Brendan Fraser in the upcoming 2022 movie The Whale, and she is already slated for another big movie, a thriller called Berlin Nobody. However, while we wait to see what happens next with this display and Sink’s next project, you can watch Seasons 1 through 4 of Stranger Things with a Netflix subscription.

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.