Stranger Things season 5 volume 2: Release date & time, where to watch and what to expect

Stranger Things season 5, the final chapter of the Duffer Brothers' science fiction horror series created by Matt and Ross Duffer in 2016, picks up in 1987 Hawkins, Indiana.

After volume 1's intense setup, fans are buzzing about Will's emerging psychic powers and the group's fractured loyalties amid military lockdowns.

Volume 2 with episodes 5, 6 and 7 will release in the U.S on December 25, 2025, at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. The finale episode will be released on December 31 at the same time. 

Expect Will's powers to clash with Vecna's hive mind, Max's mindscape rescue and revelations tying back to 1983's events.

The story follows Eleven, played by Millie Bobby Brown and her friends- Mike, played by Finn Wolfhard, Will, played by Noah Schnapp and Dustin, played by Gaten Matarazzo. Along with Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) as they face Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and escalating Upside Down threats.
Veterans like Winona Ryder as Joyce, David Harbour as Hopper and Joe Keery as Steve return, joined by newcomers Linda Hamilton as Dr Kay, a government operative targeting psychic assets and Nell Fisher as a grown up Holly Wheeler. 

Stranger Things season 5 volume 2: Release schedule

• Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 will premiere on Netflix on December 25, 2025 in the US at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET. 
• In the UK, it will stream on December 26 at 1 a.m. GMT
• In Australia on December 26 at 11 a.m. AEDT
• Japan at 10 a.m. JST on December 26
• India at 6:30 a.m. IST on December 26

Episodes run 65 to 75 minutes each. Episode 5, titled "Shock Jock" explores radio signals exposing Vecna's plans. Episode 6, titled "Escape from Camazotz" features a breakout from interdimensional traps and episode 7, titled "The Bridge" builds to world-crossing action. 

Volume 1 recap and what to expect from Stranger Things season 5 volume 2

Volume 1, released November 26, 2025, recaps post-season 4 chaos: Hawkins quarantined by the military for Upside Down experiments, vines invading streets.

The group splits and the kids hunt a vanished Vecna to find Holly Wheeler, who is kidnapped by Vecna/Henry. Eleven and Hopper are seen dodging monsters and foes while Max creates a safe house in Vecna's mindscape, while still being in a coma.

Will's kidnapping subplot echoes his 1983 trauma, revealing his hive-mind-linked powers to Vecna that flare in a cliffhanger, positioning him as Eleven's ally. Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) returns, wired to machines by Dr Kay to counter Eleven's abilities via satellites, adding betrayal layers.

Volume 2 ramps up with Will's "sorcerer" abilities tested in battles, with psychic flares disrupting Vecna's control, not innate telekinesis like Eleven's. 

Expect Vecna flashbacks humanising Henry Creel, Max's escape converging with rescues, and military assaults on rifts. Friendships strain, especially Dustin-Steve, amid Holly's role in the Wheeler family lore. 

The Duffers promise season 1 heart with season 4 scale, no major deaths yet. Music ties in subtly with synth tracks, boosting Dustin's arcs and action nods to '80s sci-fi as Camazotz escapes.

Stream Stranger Things season 5 volume 2 on December 25, 2025 only on Netflix, available globally with a standard or premium subscription for ad-free 4K viewing. 

Stay tuned for more such updates!