Season 5 of Stranger Things is now expected break one of the show's most frustrating records when it finally drops on Netflix.
Following the massive success of Stranger Things Season 4, fans are eagerly awaiting the release of the hit show's fifth and final season.
Unfortunately, the state of the industry and recent strikes pumped the brakes on Season 5 production, widening the gap between season releases and turning past records upside down.
Stranger Things Season 5 to Set Release Record
While Stranger Things director Shawn Levy reported that The Duffer Brothers are "hard at work" following the WGA strike and that the team is "raring to go," it's now anticipated that Season 5 won't drop until the second half of 2025.
If so, this would make a three-year gap between Season 4 (which released its final episodes on July 1, 2022) and Season 5, breaking the previous record for the longest amount of time between Stranger Things seasons belonging to Stranger Things Season 3 and 4 (35 months).
One factor contributing to late 2025 release projections is Season 5's year-long shoot, which was revealed by Stranger Things star David Harbour.
If the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike is resolved by the end of 2023, and cameras begin rolling on Season 5 in early 2024, principal photography isn't likely to wrap until early 2025.
Factoring in an eight-to-ten-month post-production schedule which is the average for past seasons, fall 2025 would be the earliest Stranger Things Season 5 is likely to premiere, practically guaranteeing that record gap between season releases.
Should Stranger Things Fans Count on a 2025 Release?
It's important to note that a 2025 Halloween or Christmas release is the best-case scenario of when to expect Stranger Things' long-awaited conclusion.
Not only is the SAG-AFTRA strike still ongoing, but there's also the possibility of cast scheduling conflicts once the strike is resolved.
Therefore, that record-breaking hiatus separating Seasons 4 and 5 has the potential to stretch even further.
The good news is Shawn Levy and The Duffer Brothers appear to be doing all they can now to roll cameras as quickly as possible.
But if the writers' teases of Season 5 being as if "Season 1 and 4 had a baby" and "injected with steroids" are to be believed, the final season - regardless of when it arrives - should be well worth the wait.
Stranger Things Seasons 1-4 are streaming now on Netflix.
