Stranger Things on Netflix enters its endgame with a premiere that doubles as a reunion. The Stranger Things cast reunited for final season premiere just as the show’s last chapter begins rolling out in three parts: four episodes on November 26, 2025, three episodes on December 25, 2025, and a two-hour series finale that screens in select theaters and streams on Netflix on December 31, 2025. The ensemble spent 2024 filming eight feature-length episodes back-to-back — a process several actors described as “a marathon.”
Filming started on January 8, 2024 after strike delays and wrapped on December 20, 2024. Showrunners Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer said they “captured over 650 hours of footage,” likening season 5 to “eight blockbuster movies.” At the Los Angeles world premiere, the cast recalled the stamina and the scale-up since 2016, with the Atlanta operation expanding from a few stages to the “whole” backlot.
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Premiere Plan & Runtimes
- Episode 1: 68 minutes — releases November 26, 2025
- Episode 2: 54 minutes — releases November 26, 2025
- Episode 3: 66 minutes — releases November 26, 2025
- Episode 4: nearly 90 minutes — releases November 26, 2025
- Episodes 5–7: release December 25, 2025
- Series Finale: about 2 hours — in select theaters and on Netflix December 31, 2025
“It’s a marathon. It really is,” said Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers). Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler) added, “When one person’s down, then the rest of the cast or crew is like, ‘All right, man, let’s go!’” Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair) laughed about the year-long schedule: “I thought you were gonna say, ‘How did you keep your sanity?’ I don’t know if we did, honestly.” Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven) summed up the drive: “The stamina is truly the fact that we all love and care about it.” Camera operator Nick Müller became a symbol of that grind, with Wolfhard noting he had “a camera strapped to him every day for a year.”
The cast also underlined just how much the production ballooned. Brown remembered the humble beginnings: “We were literally the smallest set in season 1.” By contrast, Wolfhard said they took over the entire Atlanta backlot: “Season 5 was the first time where we showed up to set and we’re like, ‘Holy s—! Whoa!’ Like, crazy, crazy sets this year.” Noah Schnapp (Will Byers) remarked that season 1 “was like an indie film,” especially compared with today’s visual effects. Together with Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), and Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), the group said camaraderie — a “summer camp” vibe — kept them steady.
Season 5 arrives with feature-length chapters and holiday-timed drops. Volume 1 includes four episodes (running 68, 54, 66 minutes, and nearly 90 minutes). Volume 2 lands on December 25, 2025 with three episodes. The finale runs about two hours and arrives on December 31, 2025 in theaters and on Netflix simultaneously.
“I would just walk around crying,” the boys say goodbye
For a farewell cover story labeled GQ Hype, Jack King interviewed Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, and Caleb McLaughlin, with photography by Grace Difford. They met at a London hotel courtyard in late October over tea and truffle fries. Schnapp remembered a dream about “baby Will Byers,” telling his younger self, “You’re so cute and little.” He added, “Every time we’re back together, it feels like we’re back to season one.” McLaughlin echoed, “I feel like I’m younger Caleb again.”
Processing the end, Wolfhard said, “It’s like, when a family member passes away, everyone has their own way of coping with that.” On the final day of shooting, the emotions crested. “Literally, like, all of us can’t even talk, because we’re crying so hard,” Wolfhard recalled, while Matarazzo joked it felt like winning a championship — “Game seven, baby.” Quoting Stevie Wonder’s “Visions,” McLaughlin said, “We wouldn’t cherish the moment if it wasn’t ending. The beauty of the moment is that it is ending. That’s the gem.”
The foursome also looked ahead to working together again in some fashion. “I don’t even care what the project does… I would love to act with these guys for the rest of my life,” Matarazzo said.
Cast & Creators
Appearing in interviews and premiere materials: Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), and Jake Connelly (Derek). The season is created by Ross Duffer and Matt Duffer.
How the shoot scaled up from 2016 to 2024
By July 3, 2024, Ross Duffer posted that filming had reached the halfway mark at 24 weeks; by December 20, 2024, Netflix said cameras had stopped. The team compared the growth from a few stages to the entire Atlanta backlot. Brown estimated “about 200‑plus additional people” were involved this season compared with the first, and Wolfhard singled out camera operator Nick Müller, who “started training the year before” to keep up.
What this finale timing means for Stranger Things on Netflix
The holiday calendar should extend the conversation through year’s end, while the theatrical finale suggests confidence in the show’s cultural pull. The emphasis on crew stamina and backlot‑spanning sets points to larger‑scale sequences, with the emotional stakes tracking right alongside. Expect the arc centered on Will Byers to remain pivotal as the showdown with Vecna crests.
Where to Watch
All episodes stream on Netflix in the U.S. The two‑hour finale also plays in select U.S. theaters on December 31, 2025.
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