The wait is over. Here’s your first look at the final season of Stranger Things

Almost a decade ago, little Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) disappeared into a parallel dimension called the Upside Down. Since then, he and his friends have embarked on a string of dangerous adventures, battling a litany of supernatural monsters – as well as a school bully or two – and protecting their small town of Hawkins.

Now, their adventures are about to end.

Stranger Things is coming to a close. Or is it?Credit: Netflix

Netflix released the first teaser trailer for the fifth and final season of its hit series Stranger Things on Thursday morning, offering a glimpse into the decimated town and a looming final battle against the big bad Vecna. This has been a long time coming; the previous season landed in May 2022, but production on season five only began in 2024.

So, what can we expect from Stranger Things’ last chapter, and why has it taken so long to get here?

What will it be about?

The show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, have kept details about the final season under wraps. However, we know that Hawkins has become a hellscape following the parallel universe rifts which tore through it in season four. Will and his buddies are determined to find and kill Vecna – who is trying to merge Earth with the Upside Down – but he has vanished.

Meanwhile, the town is under military quarantine as the government searches for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), forcing her back into hiding.

There will also be a time-jump, given that most of the once-child stars are now in their late teens or early 20s. Season four was set in 1986. Season five will fast-forward a little over a year to the autumn of 1987.

Finally, there will be eight episodes split into three volumes with separate release dates.

Who is in it?

Most of the previous season’s cast will return, including Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Noah Schnapp, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Priah Ferguson, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery and Brett Gelman.

Sadie Sink’s return appeared less certain – the last we saw her character, Max, she was in a coma after falling victim to Vecna’s curse. But the trailer confirms she will feature in the final chapter in some capacity.

Linda Hamilton, best known for her role as Sarah Connor in The Terminator, will join season five as a new character named Dr Kay. She’s seen in the trailer surrounded by demogorgons. Other new actors include Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux (from the original Broadway cast of Stranger Things: The First Shadow).

Throwback to season one: Season five sees Eleven forced back into hiding.Credit: Netflix

Why has it taken so long?

Fans have been waiting for season five for about three years. Production was originally set to begin in mid-2023, with a premiere date sometime in early 2025, but it was delayed by the dual writers’ and actors’ Hollywood strikes (this industrial action halted all writing and filming).

Once a deal was reached, the busy schedules of cast members and the show’s elaborate visual effects caused further delays. It finally went back into production in early January last year, and only wrapped in December. To put this into perspective, the final season of The Handmaid’s Tale, which was also delayed by the strikes, has already come and gone. Same goes for season four of Emily in Paris and season two of Severance, both of which have been out for months.

The crew are back together for the final season to battle (and find) Vecna.Credit: Netflix

Hawke told the Podcrushed podcast in 2024 that Stranger Things felt “a little bit cursed” following the pandemic (which caused delays during season four production) and the dual strikes. Matarazzo also told The Hollywood Reporter that the delays were “certainly frustrating”, though he came to appreciate the extra time it gave the cast to be together.

For a show about a group of underdog kids battling supernatural forces, delays create logistical challenges. Wolfhard, for example, was 13 in season one but is now 22. Will audiences connect as much to a story about a group of young adults fighting evil?

Is this really the end?

Technically, no. According to an open letter written by the Duffer brothers in 2022, the main show will end but “there are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things”.

A spinoff series was announced in 2022, and an animated series set in the same universe. Then, of course, there’s the Stranger Things stage play, which serves as a prequel to the original series.

It’s unsurprising that season five isn’t the end for the universe – season four set a Nielsen record for the most-watched show ever at the time, claiming more than 7 billion minutes of viewing time in a single week. It was also the most streamed series of 2022.

Volume one of Stranger Things’ final season will land on Netflix on November 27. Volume two will premiere on December 26, and the finale on January 1.

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