It only took three years, but the wait for the fourth season of Stranger Things was more than worth it. Hopefully, we won’t be in store for a similar wait for the highly anticipated fifth and final season of Netflix’s flagship series. With renewal already confirmed, and production expected to begin at some point in 2022, we’ll be covering everything you need to know about the fifth and final season of Stranger Things on Netflix.
Since its introduction in July 2016, Stranger Things has been the flagship series on Netflix. Each season has gone from strength to strength, growing more and more in popularity with every new outing. With the show coming ending with season 5, it’s the beginning of the end for Stranger Things on Netflix.
If three years was too long of a wait for some subscribers, the figures greatly disagree with them. Within the first week of volume 1 of season 4 landing on Netflix, a Nielsen streaming record was broken as 7.2 billion minutes of the series were watched between May 30th and June 5th, 2022. The demand for the show was so high on the release of volume 2 that some Netflix users briefly experienced crashes as subscribers raced to consume the epic conclusion of season 4.
Stranger Things Season 5 Netflix Renewal Status
Official Netflix Renewal Status: Renewed (Last Updated: 02/07/2022)
We learned ahead of time that Netflix had already renewed Stranger Things for a fifth and final season. It’s a no-brainer that Netflix would be renewing its most popular TV show.
Prior to the production of season 4, the Duffer Brothers were unsure about the number of seasons it would take to tell the full story of Stranger Things.
Ross:
We don’t actually know. I think, you know, four to five seasons is likely where we’ll end up, but who knows? I mean, none of this is official, and we know where we want to go. We’re trying to figure out still how long it’ll take to get there, so we’ll see.
Matt:
“It’s hard like four seems short, five seems long. So I don’t know what to do.”
The Duffer Brothers were unsure before, but it’s all confirmed now, that the fifth season of Stranger Things will be the last.
Ross (left) and Matt Duffer (right) – Alberto E. Rodriguez | Getty Images
What to expect from Stranger Things season 5?
Welcome to Hell, Hawkins, Indiana
Despite their best efforts, Vecna aka Henry aka 001 was successful in carrying out his plan to tear open a giant gate between the Upside Down and the real world. Dozens of people died in the ensuing chaos, and residents are leaving en masse to escape from any further potential danger.
Thanks to the giant smoke plumes being emitted from the giant gates, the particles falling all around Hawkins will result in any and all plant life decaying at a rapid rate. Soon the real-world Hawkins will emulate the look of Hawkins from the Upside Down as Vecna’s vision for his “beautiful” new world begins to take shape.
As Hawkins falls deeper and deeper into chaos expect to see a large military presence surrounding the town, with only very few residents and our heroes staying behind to keep fighting Vecna.
Vecna’s Return / 001 vs 011
Vecna came extremely close to being killed by Nancy, Steve, and Robin, but he was able to escape before anyone could deal a killing blow. It’s unclear how injured he is, and how long it takes for him to recover from multiple shotgun blasts, and Molotov cocktails. Once fully recovered, we expect to see Vecna unleash his true powers on Hawkins and unleash the hordes of monsters from the Upside Down.
The only person capable of fighting Vecna one-on-one is Eleven, and she barely survived her second encounter with him. There’s no denying Eleven’s strength is vast, but it’s more than likely we’ve barely scratched the surface of what her true potential is. If Eleven wants to defeat Vecna, she will need to practice and hone her powers.
Hawkins to be Quarantined?
Given the danger that the gates pose to not only Hawkins, but the rest of the world, the military may declare martial law in the area, and potentially quarantine Hawkins. We can expect to see a strong military presence, especially if any Demogorgons and other monstrosities begin surfacing from the gates.
Sadly, for the people of Hawkins, those unable to get out of the town before a quarantine starts may have to fend for themselves while the military wage war against the forces of the Upside Down.
What will happen to the gates?
If Vecna is successfully defeated by Eleven this doesn’t guarantee the gates to the Upside Down will be closed. In fact, it may require Eleven to replicate what she did with the gate under Hawkin’s Lab in the second season and forcibly close it herself. That first gate was large but pales in comparison to what Vecna has done to Hawkins. Not only will it take every ounce of Eleven’s power, but closing the gates may require Eleven to sacrifice herself.
Will Max wake up?
Max’s death resulted in Vecna’s plan coming to fruition, but unexpectedly Eleven was able to bring Max back to life. Between dying, having her limbs snapped, and potentially becoming blind, it’s no wonder Max is in a coma. We fully expect Max to wake up, but what condition she will be in remains to be seen.
If Max wakes up and is fully healed, then Eleven has the power to bring back people from the dead. The consequences of such a power haven’t been explored yet, but with some potential deaths headed our way in season 5, Eleven will be needed more than ever.
Time Skip
The Duffer Brothers have already announced that another time skip will happen in the story, and will potentially pick back up around 1988 or 1989. This is to coincide with the real-life ages of the actors, who are already outgrowing their 15-year-old counterparts, such as Gaten Matarazzo who turns 20 in September 2022, and during the production of season 5, will turn 21.
What is the production status of Stranger Things season 5?
Official Production Status: In Development (Last Updated: 03/07/2022)
Little is known about the production status of Stranger Things season 5.
No filming dates have been reported, but we can suspect we will learn more extremely soon. The social media accounts for Stranger Things, such as the Stranger Things writers are extremely active and informative during the production process.
Once the scripts are written, polished and ready for a table reading, then filming will follow soon after.
Who is in the cast of Stranger Things season 5?
We expect all of the following actors to return in Stranger Things season 5:
| Role | Cast Member |
|---|---|
| Eleven / Jane Hopper | Millie Bobby-Brown |
| Peter / 001 / Henry / Vecna | Jamie Campbell Bower |
| Mike Wheeler | Finn Wolfhard |
| Dustin Henderson | Gaten Matarazzo |
| Lucas Sinclair | Caleb McLaughlin |
| Will Byers | Noach Schnapp |
| Joyce Byers | Winona Ryder |
| Jonathan Byers | Charlie Heaton |
| Jim Hopper | David Harbour |
| Max Mayfield | Sadie Sink |
| Nancy Wheeler | Natalia Dyer |
| Steve Harington | Joe Keery |
| Robin Buckley | Maya Hawke |
| Murray | Brett Gelman |
| Erica Sinclair | Pirah Ferguson |
| Argyle | Eduardo Franco |
| Karen Wheeler | Cara Buono |
| Ted Wheeler | Joe Chrest |
| Vickie | Amybeth McNulty |
There’s no news on any new cast members for season 5.
Who lives? Who dies?
Unexpectedly, none of the original cast members died in the fourth season of Stranger Things. This leaves us with the worry that some of our favorite heroes may be on the receiving end of tragic and heroic deaths.
We’ve compiled our top ten list of characters most likely to die in Stranger Things season 5:
1. Steve
Steve was once earmarked for death in the first season of Stranger Things before the Duffer Brothers changed their minds, and in the subsequent seasons became everyone’s favorite character and babysitter. As the fan-favorite, Steve is always at the top of the list of characters that could die. Not only would the fan base be in absolute hysterics, and potential riots ensue, but if Steve is to die, we could see one of the most heroic, and greatest character deaths in television history.
2. Will
Will is ranked extremely high on this list due to the theory that Vecna could still wield some influence over the boy, and may potentially possess him once more in order to make his fight with Eleven that much harder. It would be an extremely tragic end for a character that has already experienced so much trauma, but Will is the sort of person who would gladly give his life if it means defeating Vecna.
3. Eleven
As the de facto main character of Stranger Things, many would presume that Eleven should be safe from death. However, to subvert expectation there is still a giant chance that in order to save the lives of her loved ones and saving the town of Hawkins may require the greatest sacrifice of them all, her life.
Between a fated fight with Vecna, and potentially being the one to close the gates to the Upside Down for good, Eleven may have to go beyond her limits in order to save everyone.
4. Hopper
Between being tortured, beaten, shot at, almost vaporized, and a one-on-one with a Demogorgon, Hopper has come close to death on many occasions. As the father figure of the series, and one of the only competent adults, Hopper is constantly being thrown headfirst into danger, and is not afraid to put himself in harm’s way in order to save the people he cares about.
Everyone will be in mortal danger in season 5, and if Hopper can sacrifice himself in order to save the likes of Eleven, Joyce, or any of the kids, you better believe he’ll do it.
5. Jonathan
Jonathan struggled for significant screen time in the fourth season of Stranger Things, but one of the most heartfelt moments is when he reassured his little brother, Will, that no matter what he will always be there for him. There’s also the question surrounding his relationship status with Nancy, with the pair potentially falling out of love with each other, but both struggle to admit their true feelings and move on.
Of all the young adults, aside from Steve, we just can’t shake the feeling that he is the most expendable for a big death.
6. Murray
Murray has been one of the best additions to the cast since making his debut in season 2. As one of the most helpful and resourceful characters in the series, Murray is also incredibly brave and not afraid to throw himself into harm’s way to help the likes of Joyce and Hopper. It’ll be fun to see Murray interact with more of the cast in season 5, and if any bonds are formed, then Murray is ripe for being killed.
7. Mike
Will declared Mike as the heart of the party, and as the boyfriend of Eleven, makes him a prime target for Vecna. The death of Mike would galvanize the party over destroying their morale, and could be the potential push over the edge Eleven would need to destroy Vecna.
8. Lucas
For what Vecna did to Max, Lucas has every reason to want revenge. While he isn’t much of a hot head, when the moment comes to protect those he cares about, Lucas steps up. He won’t be a number one target of Vecna, but his love for Max certainly puts him in harm’s way. In order to protect Max, his sister, or his friends, Lucas could be on the receiving end of Vecna’s wrath.
9. Joyce
It was tough putting Joyce on this list, but if the Duffer Brothers were really prepared to subvert expectation, then Joyce is a prime candidate for death. Like most of the adults in the series, you could expect Joyce to throw herself into the clutches of death if it means saving the lives of others, especially if it means saving Jonathan or Will.
10. Robin
What places Robin on this list is the reluctance the Duffer Brothers have shown to kill off characters from the first season. Just because she’s a fan favorite, doesn’t mean she is safe from being killed off, and with season 5 being the final season, not a single character is safe.
When is the Stranger Things season 5 Netflix release date?
As optimistic as fans can be, sadly, we’ll be waiting a long time for the fifth season of Stranger Things.
Production on each season is incredibly extensive, and while we can blame the pandemic for the delayed release of season 4, it would have been a long wait regardless.
Prior to the pandemic shutting down production, roughly a month of filming had been carried out. Filming was delayed by six months and didn’t pick back up again until late September 2020. Production wrapped on the fourth season approximately a year later, when actor Noah Schnapp confirmed filming had ended. If you take into consideration that it took a further 8 months before volume 1 was released on Netflix, that gives us a total of 21 months, or 27 months if you add the delay in production. When you consider the run time of the fourth season, it’s no surprise it took so long to film.
We would be extremely impressed if the fifth and final season arrived on Netflix in late 2023, however, it’s our expectation that we won’t see the finale arrive until the Spring or Summer of 2024.
Will Netflix split season 5 in half?
There is a great chance the final season of Stranger Things will be split in half. We’ve seen it recently with the release of Stranger Things season 4, and previously with the final seasons of Ozark, Lucifer, and Money Heist.
Will we get a blockbuster-sized final season?
The fourth season featured some of the longest run times in the show’s history. In particular, the finale had an astonishing runtime of 139 minutes, which is longer than most feature-length films.
Even without the finale, the fourth season is almost four hours longer than the first season and over 3 hours longer than the third season. When you include the season 4 finale runtime, this takes the fourth season of Stranger Things to over six hours longer than season 1.
Long story short, even if each half-season only contains four episodes, fans will be in for a long and wild climactic ride.
Are you looking forward to the fifth and final season of Stranger Things on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
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