Stranger Things season 5: Everything we know so far

Stranger Things is reaching its climactic point. The renowned Netflix sci-fi series that started in 2016 and took the world by storm will conclude its story on season 5 with the ultimate showdown between Eleven and Vecna. After years of lurking dangers and supernatural threats, the Duffer Brothers are finally ready to close out the story by completing the cycle, right where everything began — Hawkins.

Post the events of season 4, Hawkins is sort of… fractured. Massive breaches to the constant are tearing the town apart, Vecna is missing, and the characters’ positioning is scattered. However, season five does promise an ultimate act that brings the entire core group together… one last time. With the stakes rising, the heroes have to come together to combat a darkness far more sinister than anything they have encountered before.

Netflix bodes well for the upcoming season, providing a grand send-off. It plans to release it in three segments during the 2025 holiday season, with episodes dropping close to Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. A teaser trailer and official synopsis released at the Netflix Tudum event showcased just how dramatic and intense this last installment is designed to be.

A global event split into three parts

For the first time in the show's history, Stranger Things will be released in volumes. Netflix has now announced the dates for all three parts: The first four episodes will be available on November 26, and the next three will be available on December 25. The finale episode will be available on December 31, 2025. Netflix’s choice to release the episodes during key holidays indicates an effort towards turning season 5 into a collective experience during family get-togethers.

The teaser published during Tudum focused purely on nostalgia. It revisited the season 1 disappearance of Will Byers while also showcasing some of the impending chaos. The upcoming season is going to be an 8 part series, which promises to be filled with intense character interactions and clashes that have been anticipated for almost a decade.

Stranger Things episode titles and release schedule

The obliterated title of episode 2 piques curiosity — several fans speculate the absent title pertains to a pivotal character. In light of the parallels to season 1, it is probably intended to parallel Will’s initial disappearance, raising the question of who is poised to disappear this time.

The cast and characters are returning for the end

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Almost every major cast member is returning for the final season. Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Noah Schnapp (Will), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), and Sadie Sink (Max) are all back. Veteran cast members like Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Joe Keery, and Maya Hawke are reprising their roles as well.

There will also be a few fresh faces. Terminator star Hamilton joins as a new character, Dr. Kay, alongside new cast members Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux. Meanwhile, Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) also returns as the final villain, their plans still unknown but more perilous than ever.

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