Fans of Stranger Things are eagerly awaiting the premiere of Season 5, with the first part releasing on November 26. Here’s everything you need to know about the final season.
Get your snack stash ready, because the Duffer Brothers are dropping this last epic adventure right across the holidays. That means a lot of us will be locked in front of screens instead of awkward family chats.
Mark Your Calendar: The Full Release Schedule
If you thought it would be a simple one-weekend binge, think again. Netflix is splitting the final season into three drops, essentially turning it into a full holiday event.
The first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 go live on Netflix on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. That lines up with the post-Thanksgiving slowdown. The stream becomes available at 8 p.m. Eastern time and 5 p.m. Pacific time.
Then it picks up again quickly. The next three episodes drop on December 25, 2025. Same time slot, 8 p.m. Eastern and 5 p.m. Pacific.
Finally, the last episode of the series premieres on December 31, 2025. That is New Year’s Eve. A fitting close out, ending the show as we ring in 2026.
The show will stream exclusively on Netflix. You will need a paid subscription to watch.
What’s Going Down in Hawkins (and Beyond)
This season skips ahead a bit. The story jumps to fall of 1987. Hawkins, Indiana, is still reeling from the damage done by the Rifts. Things are worse than ever.
The original group is back on a mission. Their goal is simple, but not easy. They have to find Vecna and kill him. The problem is, no one knows where he is.
The government has locked the town under military quarantine. Eleven is being hunted again, forced back into hiding. The setup is tense. With the anniversary of Will’s disappearance coming up, that old dread is back.
The official description hints at a major showdown. The group needs to unite as one. Everyone must join the fight. This is not a side plot. This is the main story now. And the threat is bigger than anything they have faced before.
Stranger Things Cast Rundown: Final Season Lineup
This is the last season and that’s confirmed. Stranger Things has been one of the biggest nostalgia-fueled shows in recent memory. From missing kids to parallel dimensions, it has done it all. Now it is closing the door.
Most of the cast is back. Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and Jim Hopper (David Harbour) return. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) are all in.
We also get Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke), Erica Sinclair (Priah Ferguson), Brett Gelman (Murray), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), and Amybeth McNulty (Vickie).
New additions include Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay. Nell Fisher returns as Holly Wheeler. Jake Connelly plays Derek Turnbow. Alex Breaux is Lt. Akers.
Season 5 looks impressive. It is shaping up to be the darkest and most demanding chapter in the entire run. Expect big emotional swings, major stakes, and no loose ends.