Stranger Things season 5 trailer day is finally here. Netflix dropped the first full look at the sci-fi horror show’s endgame on October 30, 2025, and it’s packed with reveals fans have been waiting for: the time jump to fall 1987, Hawkins under military quarantine, and a newly “rebuilt” Vecna squaring off with Eleven and Will Byers. The trailer also confirms the three-part rollout — four episodes on November 26, three more on December 25, and a New Year’s Eve series finale — all premiering at 8 p.m. ET.
The official synopsis sets the stakes: Vecna has “vanished,” Hawkins is locked down, and the government has intensified its hunt for Eleven, pushing her “back into hiding” as the anniversary of Will’s disappearance brings “a heavy, familiar dread.” The mission is clear: “find and kill Vecna.”
Showrunners Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer say the season launches at full speed. “It starts a little bit in chaos because our heroes ultimately lost at the end of Season 4,” Ross says. Matt adds that the gang is “not experiencing normal life. Nothing in Hawkins is normal anymore,” describing “Big Brother cameras everywhere.” Executive producer and season-five director Shawn Levy promises “the action is next level” and “the emotional center remains the same.”
Entertainment Weekly’s exclusive trailer breakdown dives deeper. Vecna (also known as Henry Creel/One) appears “rebuilt,” and the final season is “brutal,” the Duffers say. The trailer itself puts Will right in Vecna’s sights with the villain’s chilling line: “You are going to help me… one… last… time.” The creators also confirm the fall-1987 setting and tease that this year brings the story “full circle,” answering two core mysteries: “what is the Upside Down, truly?” and “why was Will taken?”
gathered the boys to watch the final stranger things trailer together ❤️ pic.twitter.com/mxuZT2EveG
— sƃuᴉɥʇ ɹǝƃuɐɹʇs (@Stranger_Things) October 30, 2025
Release plan & when to watch
- Volume 1: Four episodes premiere November 26, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET.
- Volume 2: Three episodes land December 25, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET.
- Series finale: A last episode bows on December 31, 2025 at 8 p.m. ET.
The three-drop schedule and times are confirmed in the trailer coverage and Netflix’s official hub.
The biggest takeaways from the Stranger Things trailer
- Hawkins is under military quarantine. Movement is restricted and surveillance saturates the town as the Rifts scar the landscape.
- Eleven is in “warrior” mode. “She’s in a warrior state… all she is thinking about is protecting her friends,” Millie Bobby Brown says.
- Will is front and center. EW’s exclusive notes his arc comes “full circle,” and the trailer shows Vecna levitating him as he speaks that ominous “one last time” line.
- Vecna 2.0. The creators flag the villain’s “rebuilt” form and tease that “a lot of this season takes place in the Upside Down.”
- Queen on the soundtrack. The cut is set to a haunting rendition of “Who Wants to Live Forever.”
- Hometown heroes assemble. The trailer features Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, Nancy, Jonathan, Steve, Robin, Hopper, and Joyce — plus shots of Max.
- Premiere date cadence confirmed by multiple outlets. Fans can mark November 26, December 25, and December 31 at 8 p.m. ET.
Full cast & creators featured so far
- Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers)
- David Harbour (Jim Hopper)
- 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)
- Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair)
- Brett Gelman (Murray)
- Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna)
- Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler)
- Amybeth McNulty (Vickie)
- Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler)
- Jake Connelly (Derek Turnbow)
- Alex Breaux (Lt. Akers)
- Linda Hamilton (Dr. Kay)
Trailer moments and quotes to know
“At long last, we can begin,” the trailer proclaims as Vecna steps into view, before telling Will, “You are going to help me… one… last… time.” The Duffers underscore that the final run is “brutal,” with an emphasis on answers the show has teased since 2016.
Netflix’s official preview also features quick perspectives from the cast. Brown frames Eleven’s mindset as “training mode.” Gaten Matarazzo says “Dustin is in a bit of a funk,” and Caleb McLaughlin notes, “We haven’t defeated Vecna and the problem is still there.” Noah Schnapp adds that everyone is “in one place” and shares “the same objective.”
Music watch: why Queen?
The trailer’s needle-drop, “Who Wants to Live Forever” by Queen, layers fatalistic grandeur over the images of Hawkins’ last stand.
❤️ https://t.co/2muVMmekGG pic.twitter.com/IYsq6J4qZW
— sƃuᴉɥʇ ɹǝƃuɐɹʇs (@Stranger_Things) October 30, 2025
What’s speculated vs. what’s confirmed
There’s plenty of fan chatter about potential deaths and sacrifices in the final battle. Those theories remain just that — theories — and nothing in Netflix’s official materials confirms a specific casualty. Reporting: trailer structure, dates, quarantine status, the fall-1987 setting, Vecna’s “rebuilt” look, Will’s central role, and the surveillance state in Hawkins are on-the-record details. Speculation: character death odds and symbolic readings of the music.
Where to watch and what comes after
All episodes stream on Netflix. Expect more clips and images in the days ahead as Stranger Things 5 rolls toward its Thanksgiving launch.
Bottom line
The Stranger Things trailer delivers what matters: a clear schedule, a renewed focus on Will and Eleven, and a more dangerous Vecna.
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