Stranger Things season 5: what we know about the hit Netflix show's return

It's official: filming on Stranger Things season 5 has begun. After what feels like an eternity, the cameras are rolling on the wildly popular show's final entry – which, given the main series ends after its fifth outing, is a bittersweet moment.

Still, it'll be a while before Netflix's successful sci-fi horror returns to our screens, so we'll be savoring every morsel of information about Stranger Things 5 between now and its as-yet-unannounced launch date. Speaking of which, we've rounded up every official piece of news and rumor about one of the best Netflix shows' last seasons in this guide. So, if you're after the latest intel on its possible release, cast details, plot speculation, and more, you've come to the right place.

So, without further ado, here's what we know so far about Stranger Things season 5 on the world's best streaming service. Major spoilers follow for Stranger Things season 4 and potential spoilers for Stranger Things 5 are also on the way.

Stranger Things season 5 release date: what we know

Stranger Things season 5 doesn't have a release date, but principal photography finally began on January 8. 

Unfortunately, Stranger Things season 5's filming start date seems to confirm it won't debut on Netflix in 2024, so we'll have to wait until next year to see how its primary plot ends. According to What's On Netflix, an eight month shoot is on the cards, meaning filming won't wrap until September – further proof that the series won't return until next year.

Before this January update, production ramped back up in mid-November following the end of the actors and writers strikes, which brought Hollywood to standstill for much of 2023.

Earlier than that, script work began in August 2022, with the first episode's title unveiled three months later. It's called 'The Crawl', and we have four big theories on what Stranger Things 5's first episode title could mean. 

Meanwhile, co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer plan to make the final season's episodes shorter than those in its predecessor. Lastly, Dan Trachtenberg, whose directing credits include Prey, a prequel to Arnold Schwarzenegger's 1987 Predator movie, is set to helm an episode of the show's fifth season.

Stranger Things season 5 cast: confirmed and rumored

Major spoilers follow for Stranger Things season 4's ending.

Here's who we expect to see in Stranger Things season 5:

• Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
• Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers
• David Harbour as Jim Hopper
• Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler
• Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson
• Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair
• Noah Schnapp as Will Byers
• Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield
• Joe Keery as Steve Harrington
• Natalie Dyer as Nancy Wheeler
• Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers
• Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley
• Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman
• Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair
• Linda Hamilton as TBC

The biggest casting news, outside of those returning from season 4, is a major Terminator star has joined the Stranger Things 5 ranks. Linda Hamilton, who's synonymous with the sci-fi franchise for her role as Sarah Connors, is involved, but we don't know her character's identity.

Prominent supporting characters could also appear in Stranger Things season 5. Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono) is definitely back (thanks to Reddit for the catch), and we expect Ted Wheeler (Joe Chrest), Lieutenant Colonel Jack Sullivan (Sherman Augustus), Vickie (Amybeth McNulty), and Suzie (Gabriella Pizzolo) to return, too.

Elsewhere, Doctor Sam Owens (Paul Reiser) was left handcuffed to a pipe in the subterranean Nina Project, while Vecna (Jamie Campbell-Bower) disappeared after being severely injured by Nancy, Steve, and Robin. Both are nailed on return, in our opinion – they're too important not to – but Netflix hasn't confirmed they're part of proceedings yet. 

As for those who won't be back, Eduardo Franco has confirmed (per IGN) he didn't receive a phone call to reprise his role as fan-favorite season 4 character Argyle. Eddie Munson (Joe Quinn) isn't returning, either, following his death in the season 4 finale. Other season 4 characters in Dmitri Antonov (Tom Wlaschiha) and Yuri Ismaylov (Nikola Duricko) aren't likely to show up, too.

Lastly, the Duffer brothers told IndieWire they'll only introduce new characters if they're going to be "integral to the narrative". With Stranger Things season 5 primarily focusing on the core cast, you shouldn't expect anyone new to feature in the mainline show's final outing.

Stranger Things season 5 plot rumors

We don't know anything official about Stranger Things 5's plot – well, apart from the fact it won't end with an "it was all a dream/fantasy" Dungeons and Dragons-style scenario, as confirmed by the Duffers to Metro UK. Speaking on Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 unlocked episode in July 2022, though, the Duffer brothers did tease some story-based elements.

"It's going to be unlike any other season," Matt Duffer suggested. "We're starting season 5 and things are already going. In the way Max was impacted by [season] three and how that impacted her narrative in four, Dustin has been impacted a lot by the death of Eddie, so that's going to impact his storyline in five. We're going to see a side of him we've not seen before. It's also going to be like season one on steroids."

"Our characters are going after Vecna from minute one," Ross Duffer added. "We have a lot to do, in terms of a few more revelations, and also we need to make sure we give our characters time to make these final arcs." 

Interestingly, the Duffers confirmed they've rewritten parts of season 5 (per Netflix Tudum) based on fan feedback, which slightly alters the series' ending. On X, the Stranger Things writing team suggested it's "like if season 1 and season 4 had a baby. And then that baby was injected with steroids."

Before the end credits roll for the final time, however, our heroes must join forces to try to stop Vecna and the Upside Down for good. They've already assembled in Hawkins so, while they might break into smaller groups to cover as much ground as possible, they're still effectively working together.

Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Matt Duffer said: "We want to go back to a lot things we did in season 1 and a lot of the original groupings and pairings that we had."

Finn Wolfhard, who plays Mike Wheeler, also alluded to this plot thread, telling Collider: "I think it [season 5] answers an insane amount of questions about the lore of Stranger Things, the world-building. I think a lot of people will be happy with getting back. It's the last season, so we kind of want to get back to the roots of why the show was so special in the first place, and why the dynamics are so special in the first place, and sort of getting back to that."

Potential Stranger Things season 5 spoilers follow.

In the season 4 finale, Vecna was severely injured by Nancy, Steve, and Robin at Creel House. When the trio try to find Vecna's body, though, it's gone, with the series' primary villain crawling off to recover from his defeat.

That said, he was technically victorious in season 4. Max died for a whole minute following his attack, which caused four gates to the Upside Down to open in the center of Hawkins, allowing it to start merging with the real world. So Vecna will want to finish what he started – i.e. destroying earth and replacing it with the Upside Down.

As for Max, she's in a medically-induced coma following her near-fatal encounter with Vecna in Stranger Things season 4's finale. When Eleven went looking for Max's consciousness/soul/whatever you want to call it in the Void, she couldn't find her, either, so nobody knows if Max will recover.

Sink has since confirmed she's as much in the dark as fans are about Max's fate and you can read our thoughts on how Max's story could go one of two ways in Stranger Things season 5.

And what of Vecna/The Mind Flayer's most notable victim, aka Will Byers? Speaking to Vogue, actor Noah Schnapp dropped a big hint about his season 5 character arc, saying: "There’s a lot in store for Will. It ties back to where it begins, full circle. I’m excited for fans to see where we wrap his character. I think they’ll be really pleased, but also shocked." 

Schnapp also told US magazine that Will is the "center point" of Stranger Things 5, before telling Forbes that it'll "end with Will". Based on the 'Chapter 1, Scene 1' X post above, it's likely to begin with a de-aged Will, too.

Ross Duffer corroborated Schnapp's comments in a chat with Variety, adding: "Will really takes center stage again. This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together. Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality – it’s Will coming into his own as a young man."

As for potential character deaths, we think Eleven and Mike will survive. However, Finn Wolfhard said he'd be open to Mike dying under one condition (via GQ). Hopper, Joyce, and Will have all been through a lot (much like Eleven), so we suspect they'll make it out alive. Everyone else, though, is fair game as far as we're concerned. Stranger Things season 5 is going to be the deadliest yet, which implies some main characters will bite the dust.

Brown claims she doesn't actually want Eleven to die, despite initially joking that she'd like it to happen. Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, told NME she'd "love to die and get my hero’s moment". Natalie Dyer hopes Nancy will live to tell the tale, though (via Cosmopolitan).

Teasing what else fans can expect, Matt Duffer told TVLine that season 5 will likely feature a time jump, before revealing (via the Happy Sad Confused podcast) it'll get right into the action from its first episode. That's before a tense and captivating final few episodes, which he describes as being Lord of the Rings-esque in tone.

"It [the season 5 finale] is going to be Return of the King-ish with eight endings," he said. "If you just watch Return of the King, it feels like too many endings. [But] if you watch all of them back-to-back, which I’ve done multiple times, it’s exactly right. If it were any shorter, it would feel cheap and wrong."

There are other subplots that needs wrapping up, too. 

Lieutenant Colonel Sullivan is surely still tracking Eleven, believing she's responsible for the deaths in and around Hawkins. We also need to see how Eddie's death impacts the usually jovial Dustin – Gaten Matarazzo teasing in the season 4 volume 2 unlocked episode that "it's going to be rough for him to find a light at the end of the tunnel."

We have to find out why the Upside Down is seemingly stuck in 1984 as well. We still don't have all the answers about what this realm actually is (outside of snippets revealed in prequel stage play The First Shadow), why it's spookier and more dingy than the realm Henry Creel first traveled to, or what The Mind Flayer is exactly. Ross Duffer (per season 4 volume 2's unlocked episode) said those queries will be answered.

Then there's the loose end concerning number eight – aka Kali Prasad. We haven't seen Kali since season 2 and, unlike every other test subject under Doctor Brenner's supervision (who had telekinetic abilities), she had different powers. Why was she the odd one out? And will we see her again? It's possible Stranger Things season 5 won't answer these questions. After all, the Duffers have retconned some early season plot points in later instalments (via Variety). Maybe Kali's story is just one of those lingering mysteries we'll never get closure on.

Stranger Things season 5 trailer: is there one?

There's no trailer yet. Once one is released, we'll update this section.

The future of Stranger Things

Season 5 of Stranger Things will bring the curtain down on the show's main story – and, in our opinion, David Harbour is right – it's time for Stranger Things to end. 

However, there are other projects in the works at Upside Down Pictures, the Duffers' production company. The studio will develop movies and TV shows exclusively for Netflix, including two Stranger Things spin-offs – one of which is confirmed to be an animated series (per Variety).

The other confirmed spin-off is the aforementioned prequel stage play, aka Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which began its London West End residency in December 2023. Set in 1959, it tells the tale of the Creel Family's arrival in Hawkins, and shows us Jim Hopper and other notable characters in their teens. As good as that sounds, we think this spin-off of Stranger Things season 5 will hit the big Marvel and Star Wars problem. Based on a huge plot point it'll contain, The First Shadow's big lore reveal will need addressing in season 5 for anyone who doesn't get the chance to watch the play, too.

For more Stranger Things coverage, check out these five shows that you should watch while we wait for season 5's arrival and then read our thoughts on five Stranger Things spin-off ideas that could work.