Stranger Things Fans All Have the Same Complaint About Season 5 Trailer

The first trailer for Stranger Things 5 has finally been released, but it’s receiving the same complaints from fans. The fifth season of Stranger Things will be the last one, and expectations are high for the finale of Netflix’s popular original series. After years of waiting, Netflix finally confirmed the release date for Stranger Things 5 (which will be split across three parts), but the streamer is keeping plot details of the final chapter under wraps.

Stranger Things 5 will see all the prominent cast members reprise their roles, including Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), David Harbour (Hopper), and Winona Ryder (Joyce). The final season will have eight episodes, several of which will be directed by the series creators, The Duffer Brothers. The Season 4 cliffhanger set up an invasion of Hawkins from the creatures of the Upside Down.

Stranger Things 5's New Trailer is Receiving 1 Major Complaint

Stranger Things 5 received a date announcement trailer at Netflix’s TUDUM event on May 31, which has already gained over 12 million views. The trailer, which runs for about 2 minutes, mainly serves as a recap, comprising scenes from previous Stranger Things seasons. Barely 30 seconds is dedicated to new footage from the last episodes. 

This approach has received backlash from fans, with many complaining that the trailer's use of a majority of flashbacks overshadows what could be included from the 650 hours of footage that was filmed for Stranger Things 5. 

Fans have been waiting years to see the fruits of the year-long labor that was Stranger Things Season 5’s filming schedule. While Netflix is finally ramping up the marketing for Stranger Things 5 ahead of the release of its first part in November, many had hoped the first trailer would reveal more about the new season. 

One commenter on YouTube said "I thought this was a trailer I barely saw anything of s5," with another one adding, "[there's] only like 10 seconds of footage." Over on X, one fan begged Netflix to "give us an actual trailer not a recap of all 4 seasons," while another asked the streamer to "do better:"

"We’ve been waiting how long and this is all we get. A basic recap of all four seasons. Y'all have got to do better."

All that being said, Netflix labels this as a "date announcement" trailer rather than an official trailer, which typically contains more new footage. An official trailer for Stranger Things 5 will likely come in the next few months as the season's release date gets closer and should quell these concerns. 

Besides complaints about using old scenes, fans also filled the Stranger Things 5 trailer comments section to voice their frustrations with the fifth season's delay in release. Season 4 was released in 2022, marking a long three-year gap between Stranger Things seasons. By the time Stranger Things 5 airs its final episode on December 31, almost ten years will have passed since the first episode aired in 2016. 

The Stranger Things 5 date announcement teaser can be viewed below:

What Does Netflix's New Stranger Things 5 Teaser Reveal?

While much of the Stranger Things 5 teaser is made up of old footage, there are a few new scenes for fans to pore over in the coming months.

The teaser begins with Joyce (Ryder) reflecting with her son Will (Noah Schnapp) on the night he disappeared in 1983. "I think about that night a lot," she tells him. Following the recap scenes, Joyce is next scene wielding an axe, preparing to defend the kids from an unseen terror.

The trailer also gives glimpses of other familiar characters: Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Steve (Joe Keery) in the Upside Down, Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono) clutching her daughter, Holly, in fear, and Eleven covering her ears as she screams in pain - which is usually a sign that the forces of the Upside Down are interfering with the young telepath.

Fans receive a brief update on Max (Sadie Sink) and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), the former of whom was left in a coma after narrowly escaping Vecna in Season 4.

Finn Wolfhard's Mike is also shown desperately shielding a group of kids from something, including Jake Connelly's new character, Derek. There was no sign of Linda Hamilton's unknown Stranger Things character in the teaser.

The trailer also showed hints of the Upside Down invading Hawkins, with soldiers aiming their weapons at a glowing floorboard being upended by something beneath.

The characters will seemingly make some new discoveries in the Upside Down, with one eerie shot showing something otherworldly growing on a wall within the alternate dimension.

The teaser ends on a shot of Will, who has held an unexplained connection to the Upside Down since he was trapped there in Season 1, looking up at something and screaming for those around him to "run!". Fans will learn why when the first volume of Stranger Things 5 releases on November 26.