It has been over a year now since Stranger Things’ frankly incredible fourth instalment landed on Netflix, and fans were delighted to once again be reunited with the residents of Hawkins, Indiana, wherever they might have been at that particular moment (California, in a Russian jail, etc). Season four part two left things on a solid cliffhanger, with the poor gang suffering a serious setback with Max’s grievous injuries. So when will we be getting answers? Here’s what we know…
When is Stranger Things season 5 being released?
Season five is very much going to happen, but thanks to the Writer’s Strike, it’s going to take time. The show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, originally suggested that fans might not have as long to wait between seasons as with seasons three and four, which were released three years apart.
Chatting to Variety, they said: "Don’t hold us to it, but the gap should be quite a bit shorter this time, due to the fact that we already have an initial outline, and we can’t imagine there will be another six-month forced hiatus." Chatting about the fifth season’s arrival. Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike, hinted that it might be a while. He told GQ: "By the time it comes out, I will be 22, I think. I will be able to drink with Gaten and Caleb and Noah at the premiere of Stranger Things 5." Since the star turns 22 in late 2024, it looks like we may be looking at a 2025 premiere date.
Despite being originally tipped to begin filming in May 2023, the Writers Guild of America strike has paused filming, potentially making the wait for season five even longer. The strike is currently underway in the demand for fair pay, and plenty of shows have been affected by it, including The Last of Us, The Handmaid’s Tale and Abbott’s Elementary. Patience is a virtue…
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The Duffer Brothers have confirmed that they will be supporting the strike, tweeting: "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. #wgastrong."
Will Stranger Things season five be the show’s last?
Chatting about whether season five would be the show’s last, the Duffer Brothers released a statement which read: "Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you’ll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling towards our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last."
© Photo: NetflixWhat do we know about Stranger Things season five?
The Duffer brothers have confirmed that they might have to consider a time jump due to how much older the actors will look by the time of filming. As such, the show always moves forward by at least a few months, so we might be able to expect the same this time around. Chatting to TV Line, they said: "I’m sure we will do a time jump. Ideally, we’d have shot [seasons four and five] back to back, but there was just no feasible way to do that."
© Photo: NetflixWe also know that the opening episode of the show will be called 'The Crawl', which led fans into a frenzy trying to work out exactly what it could mean. Do you have any theories?
What will Stranger Things season five be about?
Speaking to Variety, the Duffer Brothers alluded to the moment in season four where it is revealed that the Upside Down is frozen in time to the day that Will Byers ended up there. They said: "We don't actually resolve that this season but it plays that moment where they realise it's frozen in time. It’s a huge part of season five and so, we just wanted to just put it out there, and get people talking about it and thinking about it."
However, it seems that Will is going to have a major role. "Will's going to be a big part and focus, is really all I can say of season five, in his journey," Matt Duffer explained. "We’re starting to see his coming of age, really. Which has been challenging for a number of reasons, some of which are supernatural. But you're starting to see him come into his own."
They also hinted at what was going to be happening with Max, adding: "Season five, and the fact that she's in the coma… I can't really get into the details but it is important that she is. And that is going to have a major effect on 5. It's not a 'cheat', it's incredibly relevant to 5."
© Photo: Netflix
