How many episodes will there be in Stranger Things season 5? Episode count and more

Stranger Things is Netflix's flagship sci-fi horror series created by Matt and Ross Duffer, which first premiered on July 15, 2016. It quickly became a global phenomenon by blending nostalgia with supernatural terror. 

Set in the imaginary town of Hawkins, Indiana, it follows a group of friends - Mike, Dustin, Lucas & Will - and Eleven, a telekinetic girl, who fight against monstrous creatures from the so-called Upside Down - a parallel dimension of decay and darkness. The showrunners are the Duffer Brothers, with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen as key executive producers who guided the show through four successful seasons.

The fifth and final season, with eight episodes, intentionally has one fewer episode than season four, which will mirror the tighter structure of seasons two and three. It is expected to be released in three parts or volumes. The first volume on November 26, 2025, then on December 25, 2025, for volume two and the series finale on December 31, 2025. 

Set in fall 1987, it picks up a year after Season 4's rifts scarred Hawkins. The group hunts Vecna while the military targets Eleven. Will Byers' disappearance anniversary looms with a new darkness rising.

The cast consists of Winona Ryder, David Harbor, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard playing Mike, Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin. It also includes Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, who plays Max and Natalia Dyer. In the supporting roles are Charlie Heaton as Jonathan and Joe Keery as Steve. Maya Hawke as Robin, Priah Ferguson as Erica and Brett Gelman as Murray. 

Also, Cara Buono returns as Karen and Jamie Campbell Bower will be reprising the role of Vecna. Furthermore, Amybeth McNulty is being promoted to the series regular as Vickie. New cast members include Linda Hamilton, Nell Fisher joining as Holly Wheeler, as well as Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux.

Stranger Things Season 5: Episode guide 

Season 5 totals eight episodes with a runtime of sixty minutes or more; the finale is confirmed as the longest. The three part release mirrors Season 4’s split but ends on New Year’s Eve for dramatic effect.

• Volume 1 arrives November 26, 2025, with episodes 1 to 4 at 5 pm PT. Episode 1 is titled “The Crawl.” 
• Volume 2 drops December 25 with episodes 5 to 7 at 5 pm PT, escalating the war against Vecna as Hawkins falls deeper into chaos.
• The series finale episode 8 streams on December 31 at 5 pm PT, closing the saga on New Year’s Eve. No post credits scene is planned, emphasising finality.

Stranger Things: Previous seasons recap and season 5 expectations

Season 1 introduced the Demogorgon, Will’s abduction, Eleven’s lab escape, and Barb’s death, ending with a cover-up by Hawkins Lab. Season 2 saw the Mind Flayer possess Will, Dustin bond with Dart, and Bob’s heroic sacrifice, with Eleven sealing the gate. 

Season 3 unveiled a Russian plot beneath Starcourt Mall. A flesh Mind Flayer, Billy’s redemption and Hopper’s apparent death force the Byers to relocate. Season 4 split the narrative. Hawkins battled Vecna (revealed as Henry Creel/One), California protected Eleven and Russia rescued Hopper. It ended with Max in a coma, four massive rifts merging worlds and Vecna alive.

The official synopsis for season 5 says-

 “But [Vecna] has vanished his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding. As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches so does a heavy familiar dread. The final battle is looming and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare they’ll need everyone —the full party standing together, one last time."

The Duffers have vowed that Season 5 resolves two foundational enigmas from the pilot: the Upside Down's genesis—frozen in Hawkins' 1983 snapshot and Vecna's precise fixation on Will beyond mere vulnerability. 

Stream season 5 of Stranger Things exclusively on Netflix on 26th November 2025 at 5 pm PT.

Stay tuned for more such updates!