Picture: Netflix / Axel Almirón (Used With Permission)
Stranger Things is returning to Netflix for a fifth and final season but won’t return until 2025. The show has been hit hard by two Hollywood strikes, but production finally got underway in early 2024 and is soon due to wrap. Here’s our updated massive preview of Stranger Things season 5, where we’ll cover everything you need to know about the fifth and final season of the show on Netflix.
Please note: this preview was first published in July 2022 and has been updated over time to reflect new developments and updates. It was last edited in September 2024 to reflect all the latest news over the past few months. The next batch of news for Stranger Things is coming during Geeked Week 2024 – so we’ll update you then with the latest.
Since its introduction in July 2016, Stranger Things has been and continues to be one of Netflix’s flagship shows. Each season has gone from strength to strength, increasing in popularity with every new outing. Breaking records, including the Nielsen streaming record of getting 7.2 billion minutes in a week, the show’s fourth season ranks second in Netflix’s all-time most-watched list only behind the first season of Wednesday. The demand for the show was so high on the release of volume 2 that some Netflix users briefly experienced crashes as subscribers raced to consume the epic conclusion of season 4.
Stranger Things is set to expand beyond its upcoming final season, too. We’re also getting an animated spin-off and a stage play currently in London and New York. We’ve got more on those additional projects at the bottom of this article.
Without further ado, here’s everything known about season 5 of Stranger Things:
When was Stranger Things Renewed for Season 5? Why is it the final season?
Official Netflix Renewal Status: Renewed on February 17th, 2022
Netflix officially announced a fifth season alongside its plans of what would be a super-sized season 4 of Stranger Things released in the summer of 2022. Matt and Ross Duffer released a letter explaining that Season 5 will conclude the series and complete the story arc they intended for it:
“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you’ll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last.
There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes. But first we hope that you stay with us as we finish this tale of a powerful girl named Eleven and her brave friends, of a broken police chief and a ferocious mom, of a small town called Hawkins and an alternate dimension known only as the Upside Down. As always, we are grateful for your patience and support.”
Ahead of the fourth season release and the season 5 announcement, The Duffer Brothers were previously unsure about how many seasons it would take to tell the full story of Stranger Things. Speaking about the length of the show ahead of time, Ross Duffer said, “We don’t actually know. I think, you know, four to five seasons is likely where we’ll end up, but who knows? I mean, none of this is official, and we know where we want to go. We’re trying to figure out still how long it’ll take to get there, so we’ll see.” Matt seemed to know well ahead of time that the series would conclude with a fifth season, “It’s hard. Four seems short, five seems long. So I don’t know what to do.”
Ross (left) and Matt Duffer (right) – Alberto E. Rodriguez | Getty Images
What to expect from Stranger Things season 5
Welcome to Hell, aka Hawkins
Despite their best efforts, Vecna, aka Henry aka 001, successfully carried out his plan to tear open a giant gate between the Upside Down and the real world. Dozens of people died in the chaos, and residents are leaving en masse to escape further danger.
Thanks to the giant smoke plumes emitted from the giant gates, the particles falling all around Hawkins will result in any and all plant life decaying rapidly. Soon the real-world Hawkins will emulate the look of Hawkins from the Upside Down as Vecna’s vision for his “beautiful” new world begins to take shape.
As Hawkins falls deeper and deeper into chaos, expect to see a large military presence surrounding the town, with only very few residents and our heroes staying behind to keep fighting Vecna.
Vecna’s Return / 001 vs 011
Vecna came extremely close to being killed by Nancy, Steve, and Robin, but he could escape before anyone could deal a killing blow. It’s unclear how injured he is, and how long it takes to recover from multiple shotgun blasts and Molotov cocktails. Once fully recovered, we expect to see Vecna unleash his true powers on Hawkins and unleash the hordes of monsters from the Upside Down.
Eleven is the only person capable of fighting Vecna one-on-one, and she barely survived her second encounter with him. There’s no denying Eleven’s strength is vast, but it’s more than likely we’ve barely scratched the surface of what her true potential is. If Eleven wants to defeat Vecna, she must practice and hone her powers.
Picture: Netflix
Hawkins to be Quarantined?
Given the danger that the gates pose to Hawkins and the rest of the world, the military may declare martial law and potentially quarantine Hawkins. We can expect a robust military presence, especially if Demogorgons and other monstrosities begin to surf from the gates.
Sadly, for the people of Hawkins, those unable to get out of the town before a quarantine starts may have to fend for themselves while the military wage war against the forces of the Upside Down.
Will takes a central role in Season 5
In a Variety piece in August 2023, the Duffers told the trade magazine that Will will take “center stage again in [season] 5”, adding, “This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality — it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.”
Picture: Ross Duffer / Instagram
What will happen to the gates?
If Eleven successfully defeats Vecna, this doesn’t guarantee the gates to the Upside Down will be closed. It may require Eleven to replicate what she did with the gate under Hawkin’s Lab in the second season and forcibly close it herself. That first gate was large but pales compared to what Vecna has done to Hawkins. Not only will it take every ounce of Eleven’s power, but closing the gates may require Eleven to sacrifice herself.
Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2022
Will Max wake up?
Max’s death results in Vecna’s plan coming to fruition, but Eleven unexpectedly brings Max back to life. Between dying, having her limbs snapped, and potentially becoming blind, it’s no wonder Max is in a coma. We fully expect Max to wake up, but what condition she will be in remains to be seen. Filming leaks do suggest she’ll be back on her feet this season, but what will the permanent damage be? If Max wakes up and is fully healed, Eleven can bring back people from the dead. The consequences of such power haven’t been explored yet, but with some potential deaths headed our way in season 5, Eleven will be needed more than ever.
Picture: Netflix
Speaking on the TODAY program, Sadie said, “We know that it’s happening and that it’s the last season, so it’s going to be emotional, I’m sure,” adding, “Spoiler-free, just with the way my character ended in season 4, I have no idea what is going to happen. But I’ll be there.”
Time Skip
The Duffer Brothers have already announced that the story will skip another time and potentially pick back up around 1988 or 1989. This coincides with the actors’ real-life ages, who are already outgrowing their 15-year-old counterparts, such as Gaten Matarazzo, who turns 20 in September 2022 and will turn 21 during the production of season 5.
Finally, as to what we can expect, the Stranger Things writing staff gave us a clue when they Tweeted, “Season 5 is like if season 1 and 4 had a baby. And then that baby was injected with steroids.”
What is the production status of Stranger Things season 5?
Collider first reported that writing for the fifth season would begin in August 2022, which was subsequently confirmed with a tweet from the Stranger Things writers’ account on August 2nd, 2022:
Writers Room for Stranger Things Season 5 – Day 1
Filming was originally scheduled to start on Stranger Things season 5 in May 2023. Production listings state the series will continue filming in Atlanta, Georgia, as per prior seasons. It’s expected to return to EUE/Screen Gems Studios Atlanta Studio, which has been home to Stranger Things since season 1. The 33-acre Atlanta studio complex boasts 11 stages and was the first full-service production studio campus to open in Atlanta. The season 5 working title/codename is reported to be “JERICHO.”
Casting grids and production listings from various sources stated that season 5 was originally due to begin filming in early June 2023 and not wrap up until late June 2024. Yes, that means season 5 was initially scheduled to be in production for an entire year. Each episode will reportedly cost north of $20 million.
Sadly, the series has been severely impacted by the writers’ strike that began in May 2023 onwards and was soon joined by SAG-AFTRA beginning in July 2023. That initial WGA strike delayed the start of production for the fifth season, which the Duffer Brothers confirmed through the Stranger Things writer’s Twitter account.
On May 6th, the Duffers wrote on the Stranger Writers account that ruled out any filming taking place without the involvement of the writer’s posting:
“Duffers here. Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then — over and out. #wgastrong”
Despite the strikes, it does appear that set building has been allowed to take place throughout the summer of 2023, with video editor and videographer Jared (itsjaredfilm on Twitter/X – account protected) posting numerous videos and photos of the sets that have been erected in Atlanta, Georgia.
The writer’s strike ended in late September, with the Stranger Writers account confirming they were back in business for season 5 as of September 27th. Following the end of the writer’s strike, a report from Variety stated that “Netflix’s priority is scripting and filming the fifth and final season of ‘Stranger Things’ before its aging stars can no longer pass for high schoolers.”
In November 2023, SAG-AFTRA announced that their strikes had ended after reaching a tentative agreement. In December 2023, casting began ramping up for background extras, which revealed that they’re looking for medically trained people and those with military experience, which goes into the fact we’re headed into all-out war.
Production began in early January 2024, with Netflix’s socials confirming that production “has officially begun!”
Throughout production, the Duffers have provided regular behind-the-scenes pictures through their Instagram accounts. On July 3rd, Ross Duffer confirmed that they were at the midway point of production. Filming on season 5 is due to wrap on October 1st, 2024.
Here’s a bunch of the behind-the-scenes photos provided by Ross Duffer via Instagram:
Pictures via Ross Duffer on Instagram
When is Stranger Things Season 5 coming to Netflix?
Netflix has confirmed the final season of the show will be coming in 2025. With its extensive production schedule and heavy VFX in post-production, we expect Stranger Things season 5 to be released on Netflix sometime in the Spring or (more likely) the Summer of 2025.
Episode Titles, Writers, and Directors for Stranger Things Season 5
As part of Stranger Things Day 2022 (which took place on November 7th, 2022), the season 5 episode 1 chapter name was revealed.
- Episode 501 – Chapter One: The Crawl – Written and directed by The Duffer Brothers
- Episode 502 – ???
- Episode 503 – ???
- Episode 504 – ???
- Episode 505 – ???
- Episode 506 – ???
- Episode 507 – ???
- Episode 508 – ???
Unofficially, a report surfaced earlier in 2025 for the episode titles of episodes 2 through 6 alongside some directors:
- Episode 1: “The Crawl”, directed by The Duffer Brothers
- Episode 2: “The Vanishing of [Spoiler] Wheeler”, directed by The Duffer Brothers
- Episode 3: “The Turnbow Trap”, directed by Frank Darabont
- Episode 4: “Sorcerer”, directed by The Duffer Brothers
- Episode 5: “Shock Jock”, directed by Frank Darabont
- Episode 6: “Escape from Camaztotz”, directed by Shawn Levy
- Episode 7: [Title unknown], possibly directed either by the Duffers
- Episode 8: [Title unknown], directed by The Duffer Brothers
In June 2023, Netflix confirmed (One Take News first reported it) that Dan Trachtenberg (Prey, 10 Cloverfield Lane) would direct a single episode for the fifth season.
Photo credit: Tyson Breuer
In November 2023, at Geeked Week, numerous Stranger Things-related news items dropped, but the only thing related to season 5 was the very first line of the script for season 5, chapter 1. The script starts with “DARKNESS. The sound of COLD WIND. GROANING TREES. And… A CHILD’S VOICE. Singing a familiar song:”
Who is in the cast of Stranger Things season 5?
Pictures: Stranger Things / Instagram / Netflix
The cast for Stranger Things has swelled in recent years, and expect a big ensemble cast for the final season. Confirmed to return in Stranger Things season 5 are:
- Eleven – Millie Bobby-Brown
- Peter / 001 / Henry / Vecna – Jamie Campbell Bower
- Mike Wheeler – Finn Wolfhard
- Dustin Henderson – Gaten Matarazzo
- Lucas Sinclair – Caleb McLaughlin
- Will Byers – Noach Schnapp
- Joyce Byers – Winona Ryder
- Jonathan Byers – Charlie Heaton
- Jim Hopper – David Harbour
- Max Mayfield – Sadie Sink
- Nancy Wheeler – Natalia Dyer
- Steve Harington – Joe Keery
- Robin Buckley – Maya Hawke
- Murray – Brett Gelman
- Erica Sinclair – Pirah Ferguson
- Argyle – Eduardo Franco
- Karen Wheeler – Cara Buono
- Ted Wheeler – Joe Chrest
- Vickie – Amybeth McNulty
Per Puck News, the cast negotiated a pay rise going into season 5. Winona Ryder and David Harbour are expected to net $9.5 million for the season. Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, and Sadie Sink at just over $7 million for the season. Series regulars such as Natalia Dyer, Maya Hawke, Charlie Heaton, and Joe Keery will net over $6 million for the final season.
Two actors have confirmed they won’t be returning for season 5. Catherine Curtin was the most recent to confirm she wouldn’t return as Dustin’s Mom in July. Before that, Eduardo Franco stated in an interview he wouldn’t return as Argyle.
Although The Duffer Brothers are on the record saying they’ll “stay away” from introducing new characters, there will be a handful. In April 2023, we got word that Netflix was casting the following minor roles, including multiple army/military guys plus two kids aged between 8 and 10. Two jobs listings outlined the two new children that would feature:
“[DEREK] Character is portrayed as 8-10yo, male, any ethnicity, overweight. An outsider with no friends, he is rude to adults — and a bully to those his age.
[APRIL] Character is portrayed as 8-10yo, female, white. Active and inquisitive, she is a happy, friendly kid.”
Pictures: Netflix
So far, four new main cast members have been confirmed for Stranger Things season 5. In June 2023, at the live event Netflix TUDUM (video clip here), we learned of the first major new star that had boarded the final season in the form of Linda Hamilton. Best known for her roles in The Terminator franchise, Hamilton’s role has yet to be officially unveiled, although it’s speculated it’ll be part of the military that’s descended onto Hawkins.
The next batch of cast announcements would come in July 2024 when Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, and Alex Breaux officially joined the cast. Fisher is set to the play the role of Holly Wheeler.
What Stranger Things Spin-offs are coming to Netflix?
Alongside the announcement of The Duffer Brothers re-upping their Netflix deal, we also got word they’re working on multiple spin-offs – some of which we’ve got more information on.
In December 2022, we got word about one of the new spin-offs, described as an anime series set in Tokyo during the 1980s. The logline we have for the new anime series, which hasn’t been officially confirmed, is as follows:
“An encounter with the Upside Down evolves into a grand adventure for video game-loving twin brothers living on the outskirts of 1980s Tokyo.”
In April 2023, we also got word of a new animated series described as a Saturday morning cartoon. What’s on Netflix can exclusively reveal the logline for that new series:
“About a young girl Janet who has moved in with her uncle Brody after being in social services for years. Follows their dynamic as she learns to navigate having a real family and he learns to care for someone other than himself.”
Stranger Things VR game
To recap, here are all the various spin-offs and other Stranger Things projects coming shortly:
- Untitled Stranger Things Animated Series – Described as a Saturday morning cartoon.
- Stranger Things: Tokyo – Yet-to-be-confirmed anime series spinoff.
- Untitled Stranger Things Live-Action Series – Spin-off series based on an original idea by The Duffer Brothers, with Upside Down and 21 Laps producing.
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow – Live performance play currently playing in London through 2024.
- Stranger Things VR – The video game VR project from Tender Claws that was released in November 2023.
- Stranger Things Comics – Currently announced projects include Tales from Hawkins and The Many Ghosts of Dr. Brenner.
This is in addition to some of the other projects The Duffer Brothers and 21 Laps are working on for Netflix. The Duffers are working on a Death Note adaptation, a sci-fi series called The Boroughs, and the Stephen King adaptation The Talisman.
Are you looking forward to the fifth and final season of Stranger Things on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
Note: Contains additional contributions by Jacob Robinson.
