Credit: NetflixNetflix’s supernatural powerhouse Stranger Things is officially returning—just maybe not as soon as fans had hoped.
Following a turbulent production year in 2023, when both the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes brought Hollywood to a standstill, many wondered when the streamer’s top genre titles would make their long-awaited comebacks. While hopes were high for a 2024 return, mounting delays ultimately pushed both series into the next calendar year.
In its Q3 earnings call, Netflix laid out its ambitious 2025 lineup, confirming that Stranger Things and its other pop culture phenomenon and Jenna Ortega-starring Wednesday will be among the streamer’s top returning series.
“So looking into 2025, you’ve got new seasons of our biggest shows: Wednesday, Squid Game, Stranger Things,” Netflix shared. “On top of that, new shows from Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, a Knives Out sequel from Rian Johnson, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, even the return of Happy Gilmore. We couldn’t be more excited about where we’re heading.”
Fans eager for new Stranger Things content were met with mixed emotions when Netflix unveiled its 2025 preview trailer—offering no fresh footage from the beloved sci-fi thriller. The absence sparked backlash online, as viewers were instead shown recycled clips from earlier seasons.
That frustration may have fueled one fan’s deep-dive into Netflix’s website code. According to X user Stranger Things News (@UpsideDownScoop), they uncovered what appears to be the internal release date for Season 5, which they believed to be November 27, 2025.
While that date has not been confirmed by Netflix or the Duffer Brothers, a late November release aligns well with the show’s dark tone and seasonal timing—especially considering the franchise’s history of aligning marketing around Halloween and “Stranger Things Day.”
That celebration held annually on November 6 to mark the in-universe disappearance of Will Byers in 1983, offered fans a taste of what was to come last year. Netflix dropped a teaser revealing the eight episode titles for the final season—stirring speculation and theories across social media.
Among the titles confirmed were: “The Crawl” (previously revealed), “The Vanishing of…,” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape From Camazotz,” “The Bridge,” and the finale, “The Rightside Up.” The last is a clever mirror to Season 1’s “The Upside Down,” hinting at a thematic full-circle moment.
Season 5 brings back core cast members Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), and Noah Schnapp (Will Byers) as they confront Vecna/One/Henry Creel (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the ever-looming threat of the Upside Down—last seen engulfing Hawkins in the Season 4 finale.
Also returning are Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), and Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), promising an emotional send-off for the nearly decade-spanning series.
However, while no date–or trailer–has been shared with fans, Netflix has confirmed the fifth season won’t be the next entry in the franchise to hit the streamer.
In late 2023, Stranger Things gained new ground with its first theatrical show, Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Opening at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End, the show—which was conceived by The Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry—acts as a prequel to the popular series, following young Henry Creel and his family during their time in Hawkins, Indiana.
The show will soon open officially on Broadway on April 22 but began previews on March 28. And for those wondering how Stranger Things: The First Shadow came to be, Netflix will drop a documentary on April 15. The streaming service recently shared the trailer:
On the project, which is officially called Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Tudum explained what the documentary would follow.
“In the documentary, you can step into the Upside Down with the production team and feel the rush as they race against time to prepare the ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show for its London debut amid mounting anticipation from fans and critics,” the company stated.
So, while fans await the official release date of Stranger Things 5, at least this new entry will keep them satiated for a few more months.
Meanwhile, Wednesday—the Tim Burton-directed phenomenon that broke records upon its 2022 debut—is also set to return in 2025. The gothic comedy-thriller, starring Jenna Ortega, not only captivated viewers but briefly dethroned Stranger Things as Netflix’s most-watched English-language series in a single week.
Season 2 of Wednesday promises to go even deeper into Nevermore Academy’s twisted halls and introduce a host of new characters. Among the new additions are Joanna Lumley, Haley Joel Osment, Christopher Lloyd, Thandiwe Newton, and pop icon Lady Gaga.
Much like Stranger Things, the series will feature feature-length episodes—a format Ortega has said makes each installment feel more cinematic.
With over 280 million global subscribers and a 2025 slate anchored by genre-defining franchises like Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Squid Game, Netflix continues to outpace competitors like Disney+, Max, and Hulu in the streaming race.
What are your thoughts on the lack of new Stranger Things footage and the confirmation of this documentary? Do you think the November 27, 2025, date holds weight? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!