Stranger Things Series Finale Brings Epic Conclusion to Hawkins Saga

A Cultural Phenomenon Reaches Its Finale

The fifth and final season of Stranger Things has arrived, with the series finale ‘The Rightside Up’ premiering on December 31, 2025. The show is one of Netflix’s most popular programmes of all time, recently surpassing 1.2 billion total views on the streamer. Since its July 2016 debut, the paranormal mystery became an instant phenomenon, with subsequent seasons released in 2017 and 2019.

Record-Breaking Release Strategy

Season 5 was released in three parts: four episodes debuted on 26 November, three on 25 December, with the series finale on 31 December. The finale has a runtime of two hours and five minutes and marks the franchise’s first big-screen outing, playing in more than 500 theatres across the United States and Canada, with screenings beginning at 5pm PT on New Year’s Eve. According to Ross Duffer, 1.1 million people RSVP’d to experience the finale in theatres, with 3,500 showtimes in over 620 venues sold out.

What’s Next for the Franchise

The finale reveals the truth about what the Upside Down really is and wraps up the main characters’ stories, Vecna, and the creatures of the Upside Down. Netflix has confirmed an animated series titled Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, scheduled for 2026, focusing on younger versions of characters facing new monsters. A live-action spin-off is also in development, described as an anthology series set within the same universe but outside Hawkins. The finale marks the end of an era for Netflix whilst opening doors for the franchise’s future expansion into new territories.