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