Stranger Things (season 5)
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The fifth and final season of the American
science fiction Science fiction (often shortened to sci-fi or abbreviated SF) is a genre of speculative fiction that deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts. These concepts may include information technology and robotics, biological manipulations, space ...
horror Horror may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Genres *Horror fiction, a genre of fiction **Psychological horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Christmas horror, a subgenre of horror fiction **Analog horror, a subgenre of horror fiction * ...
drama Drama is the specific Mode (literature), mode of fiction Mimesis, represented in performance: a Play (theatre), play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on Radio drama, radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a g ...
television series ''
Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...
'', marketed as ''Stranger Things 5'', will be released on the streaming service
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
. The season, which will consist of eight episodes, is set to be released in three parts, releasing on November 26, December 25, and December 31, 2025, respectively. The season will be produced by the show's creators, the
Duffer brothers Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (born February 15, 1984), often credited as the Duffer Brothers, are both American television writers, directors, and producers. The brothers are identical twins and work on all their projects as a pair. They are best ...
, along with
Shawn Levy Shawn Adam Levy (; born July 23, 1968) is a Canadian and American filmmaker and actor. He is the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. His work has spanned numerous genres, and his films as a director have grossed a collective $3.5 billion worldwid ...
and Dan Cohen. Returning as series regulars are
Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born ), known professionally as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Having come to attention playing quirky characters in the late 1980s, she achieved success with her more dramatic performances in the 1990s. Ryder's L ...
,
David Harbour David Kenneth Harbour (born April 10, 1975) is an American actor. His accolades include nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He began his career acting in Shakespearean theatre productions. Aft ...
,
Finn Wolfhard Finn Michael Wolfhard (born December 23, 2002) is a Canadian actor, musician, and film director. He is known for playing Mike Wheeler on the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He also played Richie Tozier in the horror film ...
,
Millie Bobby Brown Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi ( Brown; born 19 February 2004), known professionally as Millie Bobby Brown, is a British actress and producer. She gained recognition for playing Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven in the Netflix science fiction ser ...
,
Gaten Matarazzo Gaetano John "Gaten" Matarazzo III ( , ; born September 8, 2002) is an American actor. He began his career on the Broadway stage as Benjamin in '' Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' (2011–12) and as Gavroche in ''Les Misérables'' (2014–15) ...
,
Caleb McLaughlin Caleb Reginald McLaughlin (born October 13, 2001) is an American actor. He gained international recognition playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He began his career playing young Simba in the Broadw ...
,
Noah Schnapp Noah Cameron Schnapp (born October 3, 2004) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Will Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things''. In addition to his work in television, Schnapp had a supporting role in ...
,
Sadie Sink Sadie Elizabeth Sink (born April 16, 2002) is an American actress. She began her acting career in theater, playing the title role in the musical '' Annie'' (2012–14) and young Elizabeth II in the historical play '' The Audience'' (2015) on ...
,
Natalia Dyer Natalia Danielle Dyer (born January 13, 1995) is an American actress. She is known for starring as Nancy Wheeler in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). She has also appeared in the Peacock comedy thril ...
,
Charlie Heaton Charles Ross Heaton (born 6 February 1994) is an English actor. He is known for starring as Jonathan Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present) and for his roles in feature films like '' As You Are'' ...
,
Joe Keery Joseph David Keery (born April 24, 1992), known professionally in music as Djo, is an American actor and musician. He became known for playing Steve Harrington in the science fiction series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present), and has since sta ...
,
Maya Hawke Maya Ray Thurman Hawke (born July 8, 1998) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of Hollywood actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. She began her career in modeling, and subsequently made her screen debut as Jo March in ...
,
Priah Ferguson Priah Nicole Ferguson (born October 1, 2006) is an American actress from Atlanta, Georgia. She is best known for her role as Erica Sinclair on the Netflix's series ''Stranger Things''. Ferguson began acting at a young age and her career spans TV ...
,
Brett Gelman Brett Gelman (born October 6, 1976) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Murray Bauman in Netflix's horror-supernatural series ''Stranger Things'' and as Martin in the BBC comedy '' Fleabag''. Gelman began his care ...
,
Cara Buono Cara Buono (born March 1, 1971) is an American actress. Emmy-nominated for her role as Dr. Faye Miller in ''Mad Men'', she has played Karen Wheeler in the horror sci-fi series ''Stranger Things'' since its premiere in 2016. She also portrayed ...
, and
Jamie Campbell Bower James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (born 22 November 1988) is an English actor and singer. He made his feature film debut in 2007 with a supporting role in '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. He went on to feature in '' The Twilight ...
.
Amybeth McNulty Amybeth McNulty (born 7 November 2001) is an Irish actress based in Canada. She is known for her starring role as Anne Shirley in the CBC/Netflix drama series ''Anne with an E'' (2017–2019), based on the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' ...
was promoted to series regular after appearing as a guest in the previous season, while
Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. Known for portraying tough, resilient characters, she made her film debut in 1979 before achieving fame with her starring role as Sarah Connor (Terminator), Sarah Connor i ...
joined the main cast.


Premise

A year after the fourth season, in the fall of 1987, the group seeks to find and kill
Vecna Vecna ( ) is a fictional character appearing in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' fantasy role-playing game. Vecna has been named one of the greatest villains in the ''Dungeons & Dragons'' franchise. Originally appearing in the ''Greyhawk'' campaign ...
after the Rifts opened in Hawkins. The mission becomes complicated when the military sets up in Hawkins and begins hunting
Eleven Eleven or 11 may refer to: *11 (number) * One of the years 11 BC, AD 11, 1911, 2011 Literature * ''Eleven'' (novel), a 2006 novel by British author David Llewellyn *''Eleven'', a 1970 collection of short stories by Patricia Highsmith *''Eleven'' ...
. Near the anniversary of
Will Will may refer to: Common meanings * Will and testament, instructions for the disposition of one's property after death * Will (philosophy), or willpower * Will (sociology) * Will, volition (psychology) * Will, a modal verb - see Shall and will ...
's disappearance, the group must stay together one last time for the final battle and face something more powerful and deadly than ever before.


Cast and characters


Main

*
Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born ), known professionally as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Having come to attention playing quirky characters in the late 1980s, she achieved success with her more dramatic performances in the 1990s. Ryder's L ...
as
Joyce Byers Joyce Byers (née Maldonado) is a fictional character from the Netflix science fiction horror drama television series ''Stranger Things'' and is played by Winona Ryder. She is portrayed as a resilient and fiercely protective mother to her son ...
*
David Harbour David Kenneth Harbour (born April 10, 1975) is an American actor. His accolades include nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He began his career acting in Shakespearean theatre productions. Aft ...
as Jim Hopper *
Millie Bobby Brown Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi ( Brown; born 19 February 2004), known professionally as Millie Bobby Brown, is a British actress and producer. She gained recognition for playing Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven in the Netflix science fiction ser ...
as Eleven / Jane Hopper *
Finn Wolfhard Finn Michael Wolfhard (born December 23, 2002) is a Canadian actor, musician, and film director. He is known for playing Mike Wheeler on the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He also played Richie Tozier in the horror film ...
as Mike Wheeler *
Gaten Matarazzo Gaetano John "Gaten" Matarazzo III ( , ; born September 8, 2002) is an American actor. He began his career on the Broadway stage as Benjamin in '' Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' (2011–12) and as Gavroche in ''Les Misérables'' (2014–15) ...
as
Dustin Henderson This is a list of characters from the American science fiction horror television series ''Stranger Things''. The first season, set in November 1983, focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy named Will Byers while su ...
*
Caleb McLaughlin Caleb Reginald McLaughlin (born October 13, 2001) is an American actor. He gained international recognition playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He began his career playing young Simba in the Broadw ...
as
Lucas Sinclair This is a list of characters from the American science fiction horror television series ''Stranger Things''. The first season, set in November 1983, focuses on the investigation into the disappearance of a young boy named Will Byers while su ...
*
Noah Schnapp Noah Cameron Schnapp (born October 3, 2004) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Will Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things''. In addition to his work in television, Schnapp had a supporting role in ...
as
Will Byers William Byers is a fictional character from the American science fiction horror drama television series ''Stranger Things''. He is portrayed by Noah Schnapp. The character appeared in a recurring capacity in the first season before being pro ...
*
Sadie Sink Sadie Elizabeth Sink (born April 16, 2002) is an American actress. She began her acting career in theater, playing the title role in the musical '' Annie'' (2012–14) and young Elizabeth II in the historical play '' The Audience'' (2015) on ...
as
Max Mayfield Britt Max Mayfield (born September 19, 1948) is an American meteorologist who served as the director of the National Hurricane Center from 2000 to 2007. As director, Mayfield became a trusted voice in preparing for weather-related disasters, par ...
*
Natalia Dyer Natalia Danielle Dyer (born January 13, 1995) is an American actress. She is known for starring as Nancy Wheeler in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). She has also appeared in the Peacock comedy thril ...
as
Nancy Wheeler Nancy Wheeler is a fictional character from the Netflix television show ''Stranger Things'', portrayed by American actor Natalia Dyer. She is the sister of Mike Wheeler, the girlfriend of Jonathan Byers, and the ex-girlfriend of Steve Harrin ...
*
Charlie Heaton Charles Ross Heaton (born 6 February 1994) is an English actor. He is known for starring as Jonathan Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present) and for his roles in feature films like '' As You Are'' ...
as Jonathan Byers *
Joe Keery Joseph David Keery (born April 24, 1992), known professionally in music as Djo, is an American actor and musician. He became known for playing Steve Harrington in the science fiction series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present), and has since sta ...
as
Steve Harrington Steve Harrington is a fictional character from the Netflix television series ''Stranger Things'', portrayed by Joe Keery. Though initially characterized as a stereotypically unlikeable jock, Steve has progressed throughout the series into a mo ...
*
Maya Hawke Maya Ray Thurman Hawke (born July 8, 1998) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of Hollywood actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. She began her career in modeling, and subsequently made her screen debut as Jo March in ...
as Robin Buckley *
Brett Gelman Brett Gelman (born October 6, 1976) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Murray Bauman in Netflix's horror-supernatural series ''Stranger Things'' and as Martin in the BBC comedy '' Fleabag''. Gelman began his care ...
as Murray Bauman *
Priah Ferguson Priah Nicole Ferguson (born October 1, 2006) is an American actress from Atlanta, Georgia. She is best known for her role as Erica Sinclair on the Netflix's series ''Stranger Things''. Ferguson began acting at a young age and her career spans TV ...
as Erica Sinclair


Also starring

*
Jamie Campbell Bower James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (born 22 November 1988) is an English actor and singer. He made his feature film debut in 2007 with a supporting role in '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. He went on to feature in '' The Twilight ...
as Vecna / Henry Creel / One *
Cara Buono Cara Buono (born March 1, 1971) is an American actress. Emmy-nominated for her role as Dr. Faye Miller in ''Mad Men'', she has played Karen Wheeler in the horror sci-fi series ''Stranger Things'' since its premiere in 2016. She also portrayed ...
as Karen Wheeler *
Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. Known for portraying tough, resilient characters, she made her film debut in 1979 before achieving fame with her starring role as Sarah Connor (Terminator), Sarah Connor i ...
as Dr. Kay *
Amybeth McNulty Amybeth McNulty (born 7 November 2001) is an Irish actress based in Canada. She is known for her starring role as Anne Shirley in the CBC/Netflix drama series ''Anne with an E'' (2017–2019), based on the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' ...
as Vickie


Confirmed

*
Joe Chrest Joseph Chrest (born May 26, 1963) is an American academic and actor. He has had roles in numerous films and television shows including ''21 Jump Street'', ''22 Jump Street'', '' Oldboy'', '' Lee Daniels' The Butler'', '' The Perfect Date'', and as ...
as Ted Wheeler * Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler * Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow * Alex Breaux as Lt. Akers *
Sherman Augustus Sherman Augustus (born January 10, 1959) is an American actor, martial artist and former National Football League, NFL player. He is best known for his roles as Nathaniel Moon in the AMC (TV channel), AMC series ''Into the Badlands (TV series), ...
as Lt. Colonel Jack Sullivan


Episodes


Production


Development

On February 17, 2022, series creators Matt and Ross Duffer released an expansive letter about ''
Stranger Things ''Stranger Things'' is an American television series created by the Duffer brothers, Duffer Brothers for Netflix. Produced by Monkey Massacre Productions and 21 Laps Entertainment, the Stranger Things season 1, first season was released on N ...
'' that included, amongst other revelations, the fourth season's two-part release schedule, their intention to produce a spinoff series set in the world of the show for
Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
, and the renewal of the series for a fifth and final season. The duo had originally indicated the show was planned to run for a maximum four seasons, but a fifth season run was later teased by producers in 2017. As with seasons past, planning for the fifth and final season of ''Stranger Things'' began before the preceding season's release. However, due to disruptions caused by the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, the Duffers were able to completely outline the fifth season before the fourth had even begun shooting, which was a departure from their usual development cadence. They then revisited their outline and reworked the structure and events of season five based on feedback they received after the release of season four, even going so far as to alter the series' ending. In June 2023, it was announced that
Dan Trachtenberg Dan Trachtenberg (born May 11, 1981) is an American filmmaker and podcast host.Rachel Kurland, Scare Tactics Pay off for Cheltenham's Dan Trachtenberg'. The Jewish Exponent. March 14, 2016. Retrieved October 6, 2017. He made his feature film de ...
had been hired to direct an episode of the season. Executive producer
Shawn Levy Shawn Adam Levy (; born July 23, 1968) is a Canadian and American filmmaker and actor. He is the founder of 21 Laps Entertainment. His work has spanned numerous genres, and his films as a director have grossed a collective $3.5 billion worldwid ...
was confirmed to be directing at least one episode in the season by September 2023.
Frank Darabont Frank Árpád Darabont (born Ferenc Árpád Darabont, January 28, 1959) is an American screenwriter, director, and producer. He has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe Award. In his early career, he was primarily a scre ...
came out of retirement to direct two episodes, having been a huge fan of the series alongside his wife.


Writing

Writing for the fifth season began on August 2, 2022, about a month after the premiere of season 4 volume 2. On November 6, 2022 (Stranger Things Day), it was announced that the first episode would be titled "Chapter One: The Crawl" and would be written by the Duffers. As noted by the Duffers in the WGFestival 2022, some unused ideas originally conceived for the second season were implemented in the fifth season's storylines. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on the entertainment industry, the Duffers had time to outline the fifth season before even the fourth season could be shot, edited and released, but once the fourth season was released, the Duffers received some feedback from both the fans and collaborators of the show, leading them to re-write some plans for the season, namely the
series finale A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, ...
, and pitch them to Netflix, though they noted that most of their original plan stayed unchanged. The writers team described the tone of the season as if "
season 1 Season One may refer to: Albums * ''Season One'' (Suburban Legends album), 2004 * ''Season One'' (All Sons & Daughters album), 2012 * ''Season One'' (Saukrates album), 2012 See also * * * Season 2 (disambiguation) Season 2 may refer to: ...
and 4 had a baby" which was "injected with steroids". On May 6, 2023, the Duffer Brothers announced that writing for season 5 had been paused due to the
2023 Writers Guild of America strike From May 2 to September 27, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA)—representing 11,500 screenwriters—went on Strike action, strike over a labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Lasting 148 days, ...
. On September 27, the day that the strike ended, the ''Stranger Things'' Writers account posted an image stating "We're back", officially confirming that writing had resumed. Netflix reportedly would prioritize writing this script because ''Stranger Things'' was profitable and because the actors, though still young, could not continue to portray teenagers forever. On October 14, 2023, it was revealed that writing was over halfway done.


Casting

The fifth season features the return of
Winona Ryder Winona Laura Horowitz (born ), known professionally as Winona Ryder, is an American actress. Having come to attention playing quirky characters in the late 1980s, she achieved success with her more dramatic performances in the 1990s. Ryder's L ...
,
David Harbour David Kenneth Harbour (born April 10, 1975) is an American actor. His accolades include nominations for two Primetime Emmy Awards, a Tony Award, and a Golden Globe Award. He began his career acting in Shakespearean theatre productions. Aft ...
,
Finn Wolfhard Finn Michael Wolfhard (born December 23, 2002) is a Canadian actor, musician, and film director. He is known for playing Mike Wheeler on the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He also played Richie Tozier in the horror film ...
,
Millie Bobby Brown Millie Bonnie Brown Bongiovi ( Brown; born 19 February 2004), known professionally as Millie Bobby Brown, is a British actress and producer. She gained recognition for playing Eleven (Stranger Things), Eleven in the Netflix science fiction ser ...
,
Gaten Matarazzo Gaetano John "Gaten" Matarazzo III ( , ; born September 8, 2002) is an American actor. He began his career on the Broadway stage as Benjamin in '' Priscilla, Queen of the Desert'' (2011–12) and as Gavroche in ''Les Misérables'' (2014–15) ...
,
Caleb McLaughlin Caleb Reginald McLaughlin (born October 13, 2001) is an American actor. He gained international recognition playing Lucas Sinclair in the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He began his career playing young Simba in the Broadw ...
,
Noah Schnapp Noah Cameron Schnapp (born October 3, 2004) is an American actor. He is known for his role as Will Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things''. In addition to his work in television, Schnapp had a supporting role in ...
,
Sadie Sink Sadie Elizabeth Sink (born April 16, 2002) is an American actress. She began her acting career in theater, playing the title role in the musical '' Annie'' (2012–14) and young Elizabeth II in the historical play '' The Audience'' (2015) on ...
,
Natalia Dyer Natalia Danielle Dyer (born January 13, 1995) is an American actress. She is known for starring as Nancy Wheeler in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). She has also appeared in the Peacock comedy thril ...
,
Charlie Heaton Charles Ross Heaton (born 6 February 1994) is an English actor. He is known for starring as Jonathan Byers in the Netflix science fiction horror series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present) and for his roles in feature films like '' As You Are'' ...
,
Joe Keery Joseph David Keery (born April 24, 1992), known professionally in music as Djo, is an American actor and musician. He became known for playing Steve Harrington in the science fiction series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present), and has since sta ...
,
Maya Hawke Maya Ray Thurman Hawke (born July 8, 1998) is an American actress and singer-songwriter. She is the daughter of Hollywood actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman. She began her career in modeling, and subsequently made her screen debut as Jo March in ...
,
Priah Ferguson Priah Nicole Ferguson (born October 1, 2006) is an American actress from Atlanta, Georgia. She is best known for her role as Erica Sinclair on the Netflix's series ''Stranger Things''. Ferguson began acting at a young age and her career spans TV ...
,
Brett Gelman Brett Gelman (born October 6, 1976) is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his role as Murray Bauman in Netflix's horror-supernatural series ''Stranger Things'' and as Martin in the BBC comedy '' Fleabag''. Gelman began his care ...
,
Cara Buono Cara Buono (born March 1, 1971) is an American actress. Emmy-nominated for her role as Dr. Faye Miller in ''Mad Men'', she has played Karen Wheeler in the horror sci-fi series ''Stranger Things'' since its premiere in 2016. She also portrayed ...
, and
Jamie Campbell Bower James Metcalfe Campbell Bower (born 22 November 1988) is an English actor and singer. He made his feature film debut in 2007 with a supporting role in '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street''. He went on to feature in '' The Twilight ...
. In June 2023 during Netflix's TUDUM event, it was announced that
Linda Hamilton Linda Carroll Hamilton (born September 26, 1956) is an American actress. Known for portraying tough, resilient characters, she made her film debut in 1979 before achieving fame with her starring role as Sarah Connor (Terminator), Sarah Connor i ...
would be joining the cast. Hamilton had contacted the Duffer Brothers on
Zoom Zoom may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''Zoom'' (2006 film), starring Tim Allen * ''Zoom'' (2015 film), a Canada-Brazil film by Pedro Morelli * ''Zoom'' (2016 Kannada film), a Kannada film * ''Zoom'' (2016 Sinhala film), a Sr ...
, providing her with information about the "shape" of her character, but not story. When production began in January 2024, a set photo released by the team confirmed the return of
Amybeth McNulty Amybeth McNulty (born 7 November 2001) is an Irish actress based in Canada. She is known for her starring role as Anne Shirley in the CBC/Netflix drama series ''Anne with an E'' (2017–2019), based on the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' ...
as Vickie. In July 2024, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, and Alex Breaux joined the cast. Amidst filming in mid-October 2024, a casting call was announced by Knight Edge Media for Jim Hopper's late daughter Sara, who was previously portrayed by Elle Graham in the first season, with indications she would similarly feature in flashback sequences with a requirement of the chosen actress to resemble Graham back then. In November 2024, Nell Fisher was confirmed to appear as Holly Wheeler.


Filming

Harbour originally expected to shoot concurrently his scenes as Jim Hopper for the season alongside those of his character Alexei Shostakov / Red Guardian in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on List of Marvel Cinematic Universe films, a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appe ...
(MCU) film ''
Thunderbolts* ''Thunderbolts*'' is a 2025 American superhero film based on Marvel Comics featuring the team Thunderbolts (comics), Thunderbolts. Produced by Marvel Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, it is List of Marvel Cinemat ...
'' (2025), which was originally planned to be shot at the same time as the season in
Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Georgia (U.S. state), most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. It is the county seat, seat of Fulton County, Georg ...
. However, the
2023 Hollywood labor disputes From May 2 to November 9, 2023, a series of long labor disputes within the Cinema of the United States, film and Television in the United States, television industries of the United States took place, mainly focused on the strikes of the 2023 W ...
caused both productions to be delayed by the writers' strike. Because of this, the Duffers' initial agreement with Ryder upon joining the show back in mid-2015, that of letting her take a break from the series to reprise her role as Lydia Deetz in a possible ''
Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice'' is a 1988 American Gothic film, gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Michael McDowell (author), Michael McDowell and Warren Skaaren based on a story by McDowell and Larry Wilson (sc ...
'' (1988) sequel that
Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and producer. Known for popularizing Goth subculture, Goth culture in the American film industry, Burton is famous for his Gothic film, gothic horror and dark fantasy films. ...
had been seriously planning since 2000, did not need to be granted as Ryder shot ''
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice Beetlejuice'' is a 2024 American gothic dark fantasy comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton from a screenplay by Alfred Gough and Miles Millar. A sequel to ''Beetlejuice'' (1988) and the second film of the ''Beetlejuice'' fran ...
'' (2024) amid the disputes before filming on the season began. After a significant delay due to the disputes, production of the fifth season began on January 8, 2024. By March 2024, Brown stated that there had been nine months left of filming and that she had then read the script for six episodes. On June 27, Maya Hawke revealed on the "Podcrushed" podcast that the season will consist of "basically eight movies," and that the episodes are "very long". On July 3, Ross Duffer revealed that production was halfway done. In October 2024,
Finn Wolfhard Finn Michael Wolfhard (born December 23, 2002) is a Canadian actor, musician, and film director. He is known for playing Mike Wheeler on the Netflix series ''Stranger Things'' (2016–present). He also played Richie Tozier in the horror film ...
stated to ''
People The term "the people" refers to the public or Common people, common mass of people of a polity. As such it is a concept of human rights law, international law as well as constitutional law, particularly used for claims of popular sovereignty. I ...
'' that they were "almost done shooting". Filming wrapped on December 20, 2024.


Post-production

In January 2025, the Duffer brothers announced that post-production for the season was underway and that work on the visual effects was "ahead of schedule".


Marketing

In January 2025, a missing poster for Eleven (displayed as Jane Hopper) was released. New footage from the season was released on May 31, 2025 during the celebration of
Tudum Tudum: A Global Fan Event, also known as Netflix Tudum or Tudum Festival, is a global pop culture event that covers Netflix's original films and television series held annually in São Paulo, Brazil (except from the 2nd to the 4th editions, which ...
alongside the release dates.


Release

The season is set to be released in three parts: Volume 1 will release on November 26, 2025 with four episodes, Volume 2 on December 25 with three episodes, and the finale episode on December 31.


Notes


References

{{Stranger Things 5 Television series set in 1987 Television shows affected by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike Upcoming television seasons