It has all come down to this moment for fans of Stranger Things. The final season of Netflix’s incredibly successful show is premiering later this year. If you are anything like me, you have been waiting since season four ended in 2022 to see what happens next with the gang in Hawkins. The good news is we now know when to mark our calendars. The show that has captured so many hearts is about to take its final bow.
On Saturday night Netflix announced when the final episodes of one of their most watched television series ever would premiere. They decided to split the season into three parts. The first group of episodes, which they are calling Volume 1, will hit the streaming platform on Wednesday, November 26 at 8 PM. Volume 2 will arrive at 8 PM on Christmas Day. And here is a surprise, the series finale will premiere at 8 PM on New Year’s Eve. This means you will be able to close out Stranger Things and 2025 around the same time. It sounds like a holiday event for sure.
This long awaited debut was revealed during Netflix’s "Tudum 2025: The Live Event." Core cast members Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, and Finn Wolfhard all came out onstage. They looked back on making the show over the nearly ten years since it first appeared in 2016. Their costars Millie Bobby Brown and Gaten Matarazzo joined in through video. The excitement was clear. It was a moment for everyone to acknowledge how far the show has come and how much it means to people.
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The wait between seasons four and five has been a long one. This delay was partly because of the actors’ and writers’ strikes in 2023. Those strikes affected the show’s production schedule. But the Duffer Brothers, Ross and Matt Duffer, who created the series, have given us some insight into how much work went into making this last part of the story. It sounds like a massive undertaking.
In January, Ross Duffer said during a "Next on Netflix" event, according to The Hollywood Reporter, "We spent a full year filming this season. By the end, we’d captured over 650 hours of footage. So, needless to say, this is our biggest and most ambitious season yet. It’s like eight blockbuster movies. It’s pretty insane." This really gives you a sense of the scale. Imagine all that footage! Matt Duffer added that filming the season "was super intense and emotional to film — for us and for our actors. We’ve been making this show together for almost 10 years. There was a lot of crying. There was SO much crying." It is clear that this final season was a big deal for everyone involved.
The Duffer Brothers also shared a behind-the-scenes look at the final season in January. This confirmed that filming wrapped in December. It is hard to believe that almost ten years have passed since the show first aired. The journey has been long for both the cast and the audience. Knowing how much emotion went into the filming makes me even more excited, and a little nervous, to watch how it all ends.
As Stranger Things Season 5 filming concludes and trailer anticipation builds, Netflix introduces 'Netflix Bites,' a real-world food experience, and fan theories about character endings emerge.
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It is tough to say goodbye to a show that has been such a big part of your life. Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, shared in February with E! News how hard it was to finish filming. She grew up on the show. She explained that it was "really upsetting on the last day, to say goodbye to my favorite crew members, to my favorite cast, my favorite directors I’ve ever been able to work with." She called it a "wonderful, wonderful production that I was able to be a part of." You can feel her sadness about it ending.
Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, also spoke about his feelings in an Instagram post in December. "We just wrapped Stranger Things Season 5. I’m still in shock. We shot it for a year and I’ll miss all of my friends and our characters terribly," he wrote. He also shared old photos with his castmates like Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Joe Keery, and Natalia Dyer. He said "When I think of the show, I picture this first photo. A bunch of goofy young people making something they think is cool but really have no clue what’s to come. I feel like we’re still those people and I’m lucky to still stand beside them today." This gives us a look at their journey and how much they have changed over the years. It is a genuine bond that comes through on screen.
Caleb McLaughlin, who plays Lucas Sinclair, also talked about his last day on set. He told ScreenRant’s Ash Crossan that he originally thought he would not cry. But he "ended up just bawling." He said it was "Ten years of just love, laughter and sadness and peace. So I was able to get all those feelings out." He emphasized how much the show has touched people. He said it helped some viewers escape from trauma and find friendship. This speaks to how deeply the show’s relationships and themes resonate with its audience. The connections between the characters are truly the glue that holds the show together, even with all the monsters and mystery.
McLaughlin’s comments, especially about "finding new friends and believing in friendship and believing in people," might hint at what it will take to defeat Vecna. We know that strong emotional ties help characters fight their way out of the Upside Down. These friendships are strong. The question is if Vecna can ever truly break them apart. Lucas’s strong bond with Max Mayfield is particularly important. If anyone can bring Max out of her coma, it feels like it would be Lucas. Their connection is a major part of the story, and it will likely be key in the final season.
The final season of Stranger Things focuses on core characters addresses past characters absence and potential plot points including a possible November 2025 release.
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The fifth season will take place in the fall of 1987. This is a year after Eleven’s listed disappearance. This time jump from season four sets up new challenges for the characters. Netflix also announced in 2023 that Linda Hamilton, known from Terminator, will appear as a guest star in season five. This is an exciting addition to an already great cast.
Stranger Things has become one of Netflix's most watched shows. It has won twelve Primetime Emmys so far. Along with the main actors, the show also features Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Matthew Modine, and Charlie Heaton. Sadie Sink, Priah Ferguson, Joseph Quinn, and Maya Hawke also became well-known because of their roles. The show’s popularity is undeniable. Its combination of horror, nostalgia, and heartfelt friendships has found a special place in popular culture.
As the series wraps up, it will be interesting to see what kind of impact it leaves behind. It has certainly set a high bar for genre shows. Many fans will be sad to see it go, but also eager to see how the story ends. The Duffer Brothers have promised a big and emotional conclusion. I have a feeling it will be a finale we will all be talking about for a long time.