Summary
The release year of the next season ofStranger Thingshas been revealed. The Netflix science-fiction fantasy show is one of the platform’s most popular offerings, with seasons 4 and 3 occupying the No. 2 and No. 9 spots on their all-time Top 10. The ensemble cast of the show includes Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, and Maya Hawke. Although the last two episodes of season 4 premiered on June 17, 2025, production onStranger Thingsseason 5, which will be its final season, did not commence until January 2024.
PerDexerto, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos spoke about the upcoming season ofStranger Thingsduring the company’s Q2 2024 Earnings Interview. He revealed thatthe show will return to the streamer in 2025alongside new seasons of other popular shows, includingWednesdayandThe Night Agent. However, he did not mention if the season will be split into multiple parts like season 4. Netflix has been increasingly utilizing the split-season format. Read Sarandos' full quote on the subject below:
Looking forward through 2025, you’ve got new seasons of Wednesday, Stranger Things, and The Night Agent, and we’re in production on One Piece, so there’s a ton of excitement there just in our series.
Is This The Longest Stranger Things Hiatus Yet?
Stranger Things Is Known For Long Delays Between Seasons
It remains to be seen if season 5, which reunites the fullStranger Thingscastfor what is seemingly the final time, can live up to the fact that audiences have already had to wait years for it to premiere. This hiatus is partially explained by the fact that, once the scripts were written,production was delayed amid the dual Hollywood strikes in 2023, during which writers and then actors fought for fair pay. Producers took some time to negotiate, leading to extensive delays across the entertainment industry as the strikes stretched on for more than 100 days apiece.
However, one thing that is working inStranger Things' favor in terms of their core audience’s reaction to the extended wait is the fact that, over the years,the show has become known for unusually long hiatuses. Although 15 months passed between the season 1 premiere in 2016 and the season 2 premiere in 2017, that turned out to be the shortest hiatus of the entire series. Every hiatus that followed was considerably longer. Below, see a breakdown of the show’s production and release schedule thus far:
1
2
3
4
September 2021
Part 1:August 06, 2025,Part 2:Aug 19, 2025
The original 15-month hiatus was put into perspective by the fact that there was a 21-month wait before season 3 premiered, and a 34-month wait before season 4, marking nearly three full years between those seasons due to production delays amid global shutdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Depending on the exact date when season 5 premieres, the upcoming hiatus could end up falling below the extended gap between seasons 3 and 4. A 2025 date means thatit will premiere sometime between 30 and 41 months after the finale of season 4.
Can Stranger Things Season 5 Make Up For The Long Wait?
The Netflix Show’s Critic And Audience Scores Are Slipping
It may not ultimately present an issue that the wait for season 5 will extend to a length between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half years. However, it very well could, considering the diminishing critical returns the show has seen over the years. Although the Netflix series has only earned Fresh scores on Rotten Tomatoes since its inception in 2016,season 4 earned its worst critic score and its second-worst audience score yet. In one area, it has been on a downward path. Below, see how all four previousStranger Thingsseasonshave performed on Rotten Tomatoes:
97%
96%
94%
90%
89%
86%
Rotten Tomatoes scores are not the only measure of aStranger Thingsseason’s success, however. The show proved its mettle as a cultural touchstone several ways throughout season 4, including the fact thatthe recurring use of the Kate Bush song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God)” caused it to become a No. 1 hitnearly 40 years after its original release. The show also helped launch up-and-coming actor Joseph Quinn, whose season 4 performance as Eddie Munson has led to bigger projects, including lead roles inA Quiet Place: Day Oneand the upcomingThe Fantastic Four.
Joseph Quinn is set to play Johnny Storm, also known as The Human Torch, inThe Fantastic Fouropposite Pedro Pascal as Mister Fantastic, Vanessa Kirby as the Invisible Woman, and Ebon Moss-Bachrach as The Thing.
It remains to be seen ifStranger Thingsseason 5 continues the downward slump of the series. While that may only place it in the low 80% range, which is still a stellar result for any show, it could result in a slightly disappointing feeling among viewers as the show draws to a close. However, conversely,the extended wait could increase anticipation for the concluding chapters of the long-running show, causing a late jump in the show’s ratings and leaving audiences on a high. The show’s final critical standing will become clear when it finally comes to a close in 2025.
Stranger Things
Cast
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
