- calendar_today August 25, 2025
Stranger Things Season 5 Marks Will’s Disappearance Anniversary
Netflix has released the first official trailer for season 5 of “Stranger Things,” the eagerly anticipated final season. Premiering late this year, fans know to expect everything they love about the show: a slow, creeping sense of dread, the classic eighties score, and a group of kids fighting against eldritch monsters from another dimension.
True to form, the extended trailer is packed with intense set pieces, establishing shots, and more than a few Easter eggs. After opening with a dramatic standoff between Eleven and Demogorgon (remember them?), the trailer introduces viewers to a version of Hawkins they’ll recognize: Upside Down-ified trees encroach the town, a trio of demo-dogs skulk through a pitch-black hallway, and someone is firing a flamethrower.
The 2-minute-21-second clip also makes good on the promise of several new and returning faces. Viewers will welcome the arrival of Linda Hamilton as a gun-toting and battle-ready Dr. Kay. If you’re hoping for a psychological boost, the trailer also includes the sound of Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) rasping “found you,” which is one of the best horror things in the world.
But “Stranger Things” is not content with merely teasing new characters and returning favorites like Robin (Miller) and Bob (Coleman). In classic ending fashion, the teaser also ends with information that will likely break fans’ hearts. As the calendar hits October 6, 1987, the anniversary of Will Byers’ (McLean) disappearance in Season 1, viewers get a quick shot of Eddie Munson’s (Joseph Quinn) gravestone. Written in the dirt is one of the most heartbreaking words in the world: “Burn in hell.”
Who’s Returning for Season 5?
Stranger Things’ main cast members are returning for the final season. Series creator and showrunner, the Duffer Brothers, have also teased the return of many beloved recurring characters like Amybeth McNulty’s Vicki and Gabriella Pizzolo’s Suzie, Dustin’s (Gottlieb) girlfriend. Jamie Campbell Bower also appears to be returning as Vecna.
New Characters in “Stranger Things” Season 5
Fans can also expect several new characters for the final season. Linda Hamilton, the iconic star of the Terminator franchise, will be joining the Hawkins gang in a newly created role. The new cast members also include:
- Nell Fisher as Holly Wheeler
- Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow
- Alex Breaux as Lt. Akers
When Is the Premiere Date for “Stranger Things” Season 5?
The final season of “Stranger Things” has an official November 26, 2025, release date on Netflix. The trailer teases an August 1987 release date, but that’s only for the season’s premiere.
Instead of dropping all eight episodes, Netflix plans to divide the last season into three releases. Volume 1 will debut on November 26, 2025, as planned. Volume 2 drops on Christmas Day, December 25, 2025. The finale will premiere on New Year’s Eve, December 31, 2025.
What Happened at the End of “Stranger Things” Season 4?
Season 4 left Hawkins reeling from the revelation of Vecna and his unholy powers. During the finale, Vecna (Campbell Bower) used the old magic to open an Upside Down Rift large enough to flood the small town of Hawkins with gooey tendrils and leech-light.
The nightmarish “Portal” finale ended with most of Hawkins’ heroes ready to take on Vecna, including the return of Will. While Hawkins reeled from Vecna’s magic, Joyce (Hurt) did her best to rally the troops. And outside, a seemingly human Bob waited with the Massacre Mob to try and stop Vecna once and for all.
In the series’s most harrowing confrontation yet, Vecna finally battled Eddie Munson in the Upside Down mosh pit, which ended with Eddie being stabbed through the heart with an Upside Down Necromorph power drill. Eddie sacrificed himself to stop Vecna and protect the gang. The finale ends with Vecna hovering over Eddie’s corpse as the heroes close in.
