The Stranger Things creators reassured fans about the show's upcoming Season 5 release date.
Created, in part, by The Duffer Brothers, Netflix's hit sci-fi series is finally set to come to an end this year after nearly a decade of fanfare on the streamer.
However, when fans will actually get to see these new episodes remains to be seen. The series has had a 2025 release date attached to it for months, but a specific day or month beyond that has been kept behind lock and key.
Stranger Things 5 Release & Post-Production Announcements from Duffers
Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer (aka The Duffer Brothers) updated fans on the Season 5 release date during a recent convention appearance.
During the SCAD TVfest panel in Atlanta, Georgia on February 5, Matt Duffer responded to a question about the show's Season 5 release strategy, announcing that the final batch of episodes "are definitely coming out this year," but he made sure to temper expectations by admitting, "We are still a long way:"
"I mean we will see. I will say, it is coming this year. We are definitely coming out this year. We are still a long way, I don’t know why people are applauding. I feel like they are like ‘You made it in three years.’ But yeah, thank you."
When prodded about the series reportedly being ahead of schedule in editing—something Ross Duffer had mentioned earlier in the panel—the fellow Stranger Things creator made clear, "It is going to take a while:"
"Yeah, you never know. There are so many visual effect shots, it is insane. It is going to take a while."
The series has long been touted as one of Netflix's biggest series coming 2025, but when exactly that debut is something that remains unseen. These comments from the Duffers feel as though they are pretty confident about hitting their 2025 release date, but that it is still several months away.
Also during the panel, the Duffers commented on what the experience has been like bringing the hit series to an end. Ross Duffer said the emotions "hit during that last week of filming and specifically the last day:"
"It really, for both of us, hit during that last week of filming and specifically the last day of filming when we started to wrap our main cast. I think that is when we all started reflecting, us and the cast. I think prior to that, everyone is just so invested in the work, and it is so much work."
He added that, to that point, they have not been able to let it sink in thanks to the "daunting" filming process for Season 5, but getting to the end is when it hit for everyone involved:
"It was so daunting because it was a full year of filming, and you are really in it from moment to moment. But that last week and particularly that last day we started to reflect on everything and the journey that we have all been on, and it hit us all very hard I think. And now we are back in on editing, and then it will hit us all over again when the show is finally released."
When Is Stranger Things Season 5 Coming Out?
Now the big question remains, when will Stranger Things Season 5 be released?
Judging from the Duffers' words, the series seems as though it is lined up for a late 2025 release. That would make sense, especially considering recent news on the subject.
A reported release date for the series appeared online in late January. This alleged internal leak listed the show as hitting Netflix on November 27. This would make sense, serving as the streamer's big holiday release heading into the American Thanksgiving weekend (read more about the Stranger Things leak here).
This would be quickly followed up by an insider report that listed the series as a split release, with part one coming in October and part two in November. A staggered release like this would be nothing new for the streamer and Stranger Things franchise, as Season 4 did something similar in May and July 2022.
Seeing as Netflix typically holds its release date cards close to the chest until closer to the date, it will still likely be quite some time before a specific release date is disclosed.
Stranger Things Season 5 is expected to be released in 2025 on Netflix.
