Netflix premiered Stranger Things' latest episodes in July 2022, and eager fans are waiting for the fifth and final season to premiere this year.
Stranger Things 5 is set to break a frustrating record for the Netflix original, becoming the longest wait between seasons at around three years.
Stranger Things 5's Release Delays Explained
Stranger Things Season 5 is among Hollywood's latest movies and shows still feeling the effects of the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which prevented writers and actors from working for much of the year.
The Netflix original's final season was reportedly close to starting production before the writers' strike began in May 2023, but ultimately wouldn't start filming until January 8, 2024 (via Deadline).
At the time the writers' strike began in May 2023, Deadline reported the scripts for Stranger Things 5 were complete and production was expected to start soon.
But those plans went out the window with the start of the industry-wide movement, as series creators the Duffer Brothers explained on X (formerly Twitter) that, as "writing does not stop when filming begins," production would be pushed back until the strikes were resolved and a deal was reached:
"Duffers here. Writing does not stop when filming begins. While we’re excited to start production with our amazing cast and crew, it is not possible during this strike. We hope a fair deal is reached soon so we can all get back to work. Until then -- over and out."
While that deal would finally be reached on September 27, 2023, the SAG-AFTRA strike would keep the actors away from cameras until November 7, 2023 when a deal was reached and Hollywood began its return to normality.
As filming was seemingly aiming to begin in May 2023 but was pushed back eight months until January 2024 due to back-to-back labor movements, it's easy to see why the wait for Stranger Things 5 has been so long.
Over the course of filming, set photos and videos have made their way online to expose some intriguing spoilers for Stranger Things Season 5.
But actress Maya Hawke explained on the Podcrushed podcast revealed the strikes aren't the only reason for the delay, explaining "the episodes are very long" as the season consists of "basically, eight movies."
Fortunately, production on Stranger Things 5 finally finished on December 20, 2024 and is expected to arrive this year as one of Netflix's biggest shows.
When Will Stranger Things 5 Release on Netflix?
Netflix offered an update on when it will announce Stranger Things 5's release date, promising fans just before Christmas that it will "give [them] a date soon."
The only official release window has Stranger Things 5 coming to Netflix in 2025, but developments in its production can help predict something more concrete.
Looking at Season 4, production wrapped in September 2021 before the first episodes finally premiered eight months later on Netflix in May 2022. As Stranger Things 5 didn't complete filming until December 2024, new episodes probably won't be released until the second half of 2025.
This eight-month window would place the Season 5 premiere around late summer, but as the run has been described as "eight movies," it may require more post-production time, pushing it into the fall.
The first four seasons of Stranger Things are streaming now on Netflix.
