After everything the last season gave us, it's hard not to look forward to Netflix's fifth season as the most important cultural event in the history of SVOD. Here's everything we know so far, while we wait for its release.
Stranger Things started out as a nice homage to the light science fiction productions of the 80s… then became, over the seasons, a pop culture juggernaut. It must be said that the adventures of Eleven and her group have only become more gripping, the Duffer Brothers revealing episode after episode and season after season just how talented they are. With this end of season 4 acting as a huge teaser for what's to come, it's hard not to eagerly await season 5 of the show.
If you're still dreaming about the future exploits of the group of teenagers and their parents, don't worry: we already have some interesting information and theories about the future of the Netflix series. Be careful, though: spoilers for previous seasons will be delivered without the slightest hesitation in this article. You have been warned.
Where is production on Stranger Things season 5?
Officially, writing for Stranger Things season 5 began as of August 2, 2022. The Duffer Brothers have revealed that this will be the show's final season, which will therefore have to answer all the questions left unanswered. To do this, it seems that the entire story will take place in Hawkins, with a focus on the character of Will Byers.
I made this fanart poster for Season 5, Hope you guys like it ☺ pic.twitter.com/KBalRCem8P
— Axel Almirón (@almirondesign) July 3, 2022
The filming of season 5 was theoretically supposed to begin in 2023, but the historic writers' and actors' strike clearly disrupted this schedule. Production ultimately had to wait until January 2024 for production to resume and December 2024 for it to wrap. In terms of atmosphere, this final season is intended to be similar to the very first, but much more epic.
When will season 5 of Stranger Things be released?
As previously explained, until recently, everything suggested that season 5 would air in 2024. Finn Howard, who plays Mike Wheeler on screen, also confirmed this deadline in half-hearted words, announcing that he would likely be 24 years old when the season premieres. But the writers' strike has literally reshuffled the cards.
The Duffer Brothers have officially announced the start of Monday, January 8, 2024: filming for season 5 of Stranger Things begins. For the occasion, the show's creators shared a photo with the entire cast.
Stranger Things season 5 will air in 3 parts starting at the end of 2025. Here are the details:
- Strangers Things season 5 episodes 1 to 4 will air on November 27, 2025.
- Strangers Things season 5 episodes 5 to 7 will air on December 26, 2025.
- The 8th and final episode of Strangers Things season 5 will air on January 1, 2026.
Furthermore, the series' universe could be expanded into new spin-off projects. The first has already been confirmed by Netflix, although no synopsis has yet been revealed. Since then, the Duffer brothers have confirmed that they do not intend to abandon the Stranger Things universe after the series ends.
How many episodes for the 5th season?
The titles of all the episodes in season 5 of Stranger Things have been revealed, and there are 8 of them. The Duffer Brothers have already confirmed that the last two will be "at least 2 hours long", and that the grand finale will be "massive." Stranger Things seasons 1 and 3 had 8 episodes of approximately 45 minutes, while seasons 2 and 4 had 9 episodes.
Will Eddie return in season 5?
The character of Eddie, newly introduced to Hawkins for season 4 and having directly suffered a dire fate, resonated with many people. The fan of metal and Dungeons & Dragons will be missed by a large number of viewers in this fifth season... or not, who knows?
The actor, Joseph Quinn, has already stated that he would love to play Eddie again in this universe: “Yes, I would like to play him again, but it seems to me that his story has been told.”
It is at least certain that Eddie's spirit will remain very much alive in season 5. The character of Dustin could be traumatized by his death, as Gaten Matarazzo indicated for TV Insiders, and it is on his way of living with this trauma that season 5 could revolve for his character.
What will the story be in Stranger Things season 5?
This is where we'll unravel the loose threads left in the Stranger Things universe to imagine what the story might be like in season 5. Let's start at the beginning: the struggle between the Upside Down and Hawkins will inevitably turn into a full-blown war as the two worlds begin to merge at the end of season 4. This can be seen in the fact that flowers begin to die next to the gaping rift running through the town.
Netflix has released a short clip as a teaser for the final showdown. Although it's only 10 seconds long, the video has piqued the curiosity of Stranger Things fans, who have been trying to spot clues about what might happen in the fifth and final season of the already cult series.
This is where we can ask ourselves a major question: will Stranger Things take another time jump, as is traditionally the case with each season? If not, the only way out would be to continue exactly where Season 4 left off. We could then be immediately plunged into a Hawkins shrouded in darkness, a shadow of its former self as it falls prey to numerous nightmarish creatures.
One thing is certain, however: Stranger Things Season 5 will contain flashbacks featuring Sara Hopper, Jim's daughter, who died of cancer before the events of Season 1. Is there a connection between this tragedy and everything the small town is going through? We don't know for now.
Vecna will naturally continue his plan of conquest, but who will truly stand against him? Here we have two interesting theories left hanging by the series itself. If Eleven is obviously his natural counter, she could be joined by two major players to finally draw a line under the Upside Down. The first would obviously be Will, whose connection to the Mind Flayer has not diminished since his capture. And besides... Why was he the first captured? It could be that we discover a completely different side of the character, more magical, more ethereal.
The second character is currently in a very sad state... It's obviously Max. But the teenager is also the only one who was able to truly resist Vecna's powers during season 4, and her hospitalization could hide a newly opened connection with the show's great enemy. After all, if Will ended up connected to the Mind Flayer, it seems natural that Max would be with the great sorcerer.
Note, however, that the Duffer Brothers have made it clear that season 5 will be fatal for many characters. Indeed, the show's creators recently stated this during an awards ceremony. According to them, the series' producers "cried" during the first readings of the script for this 5th season. We've been warned.
On the more human side, we're all waiting to see how Will's coming out will be handled in the show, and how Jim and Joyce's relationship will evolve. But it seems the Duffer Brothers also want to go further in treating Vecna as a human being. Her portrayer, Jamie Campbell Bower, said this would be the case to The Hollywood Reporter.
One thing is certain: the final season of Stranger Things will be a big show. Its producer Shawn Levy assures us that the final episodes will be on par with the biggest Hollywood blockbusters. For her part, actress Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, explains that the eight episodes of season 5 are more or less each a movie. That's mouthwatering.
Will there be new characters?
The answer... is no!
For this final season, the Duffer Brothers have already confirmed that no new characters will appear in this universe. And that's only natural, since Stranger Things now needs to be given a satisfying conclusion. No time to develop new characters!
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