Prepare to say goodbye to the supernaturally-addled town of Hawkins, Indiana. On Thursday, Feb. 17, Netflix announced that Stranger Things will end with Season 5. “Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things,” creators Matt and Ross Duffer wrote in an open letter to fans. “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 see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale.”
The reveal coincided with a premiere date announcement for Season 4, which will be split into two parts. Volume 1 will debut on May 27 — nearly three years after Season 3 aired — while Volume 2 will be released on July 1. The staggered release is a first for the show, but the Duffers elaborated on the decision in their letter to fans.
“It’s been a little while,” they wrote. “With nine scripts, over 800 pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effects shots and a runtime nearly twice the length of any previous season, Stranger Things 4 was the most challenging season yet, but also the most rewarding one. Everyone involved is incredibly proud of the results, and we can’t wait to share it with you. Given the unprecedented length, and to get it to you as soon as possible, Season 4 will be released in two volumes.”
Season 5 will obviously largely depend on what unfolds in Season 4, but here’s what we know so far.
Stranger Things Season 5 Plot
Knowing this show, Season 4 will deliver plenty of plot twists, which makes predicting Season 5’s direction difficult. But if you want a head-start on fan theories, here’s what you can expect from Season 4, per the official Netflix synopsis:
“It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.”
Stranger Things Season 5 Cast
If the characters come out Season 4 alive and well (OK, we’ll just settle for alive), you can count on the core cast to see Stranger Things through its final chapter: Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Noah Schnapp (Will), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Sadie Sink (Max), Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Joe Keery (Steve), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), David Harbour (Jim), and Winona Ryder (Joyce).
Stranger Things Season 5 Trailer
There’s no trailer yet for Stranger Things Season 5, but to Netflix’s credit, teasers tend to come out pretty early. For example, the very first glimpse at Stranger Things Season 4 was released in May 2021, a full year before the latest batch of episodes will premiere.
Stranger Things Season 5 Release Date Possibilities
As the Duffers said in their letter, Season 4 took nearly two years to film. If Season 5 is the end of the cultural phenomenon that is Stranger Things, it’s a safe bet that production will be equally enormous (if not more so) for the finale. So while a Stranger Things Season 5 release date hasn’t been announced yet, it could be a while, even without any lockdown-related delays.
This post will be updated with the trailer, release date, and additional plot details as more information on Stranger Things Season 5 becomes available.
