Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 just debuted on July 1, but that hasn’t stopped diehard fans from already looking to the future. With the way the last season went, many have been asking whether or not it marked the end of the Netflix Original. After all, there were so many questions answered and exciting action throughout, it felt like it could be the end.
Stranger Things season 5 release updates, plot teases, episode lengths, new characters, time jump, spinoffs and more
Fortunately, we know that Stranger Things season 5 is happening. Below let’s break down everything we know about the next installment so far. The Duffer Brothers have surprisingly been talking about it a lot lately and giving us teases as to what’s to come!
Is Stranger Things season 5 happening? Renewal announcement
Like mentioned, Stranger Things season 5 is definitely happening. The only sad news is that it will mark the final season of the sci-fi phenomenon. In Feb. 2022, Netflix officially renewed the series for a fifth season, sharing a letter from the Duffer Brothers on social media. In the letter, the duo shared the exciting news about the Stranger Things season 4 release date, but also revealed the show is coming to an end. Check out the photo below.
Stranger Things season 5 plot teases
Variety released an interview with Matt and Ross Duffers ahead of the Stranger Things season 4 volume 2 release, where they gave multiple plot teases about season 5. At this point in time, they do not know whether or not season 5 will be split into two parts like season 4 was, but they are aware of a few major plot points that will be explored.
For one, the Duffers say we will finally learn about the origins of the Upside Down come Stranger Things season 5, with them explaining:
So we can expect the history of the Upside Down and all of its mysterious lore to be the main plot of season 5. I love it! Additionally, the creators revealed we will get answers in season 5 as to why the Upside Down is frozen in time on the date that Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) went missing. We find this out in Stranger Things season 4 volume 1, but it’s not explained.
In addition, Will is set to be a focal point of season 5. In an interview with Collider, here’s what Matt Duffer had to say:
“Will’s going to be a big part and focus, is really all I can say of Season 5, in his journey. We’re starting to see his coming of age, really. Which has been challenging for a number of reasons, some of which are supernatural. But you’re starting to see him come into his own.”
Is Max dead or alive in Stranger Things season 5?
The finale of Stranger Things season 4 shocked us all by killing off Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) and then soon bringing her back. At the end of the episode, she’s in the hospital in a coma. They don’t know when or if she will come back. The Duffers did confirm to Deadline that at the end of season 4 she is alive, but “brain dead, blind, and all of her bones are broken.” So unless something big happens between seasons, we’re assuming Max might still be in a coma when season 5 starts.
As for what Sadie Sink thinks, she doesn’t know what will happen for Max in season 5, but she told Vulture: “I think she’s at a place where she now really wants to fight.” At this time, we don’t know if Max will make it in the end, but we predict she will.
Will Joseph Quinn (Eddie) be in Stranger Things season 5?
A real death we have to deal with in Stranger Things season 4 is when Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) sacrifices himself to save the rest of the group while distracting the Demobats. The character is introduced in season 4 and instantly became a fan-favorite with viewers. People are now obsessed with Joseph Quinn (even Doja Cat!) and want him to return somehow in the final season.
At this time, it has not been confirmed by the Duffers whether or not Eddie could return in some capacity, but Quinn would love to come back if he was asked. While speaking to E! News, he said of the possibility:
“Me and Joe Keery (Steve Harrington) were discussing ways in which I could kind of [return] …maybe I’d be like a figment of Gaten’s imagination or something, like if there could be some kind of room for something like that, something a bit supernatural.”
There’s a popular theory going around that Eddie could come back as a vampire, with Dungeons & Dragons lore to back it up. Honestly, I’d think that’d be pretty cool. But could the Duffers fit that storyline in with everything else going on? We’ll have to wait and see.
Doja Cat and Noah Schnapp’s Joseph Quinn feud, explained
Speaking of Joseph Quinn, there’s been a celebrity feud this month involving Doja Cat and Noah Schnapp… all over the Eddie actor! In case you missed it, it all began when Schnapp took to TikTok to share a screenshot of his Instagram DMs with the pop star. As evidenced in the photo, Doja reached out to Schnapp to ask him to tell Quinn to hit her up. Their short but funny conversation proved the singer was interested in the actor and wanted to pursue him.
Even though Schnapp likely thought it was a funny screenshot to share on TikTok, Doja Cat did not feel the same. She went on Instagram Live and called Schnapp out for exposing her, calling it “snake s**t” and “weasel s**t.” The singer has since faced backlash for reaching out to a teenager (Schnapp is 17 years old) for dating help.
Will there be new characters in Stranger Things season 5?
Throughout each season of the Netflix Original, we’ve had the pleasure of meeting some fantastic new characters, including Max, Bob (Sean Astin), Eddie, and more. Of course, we’ve also met a few new villains, like Billy (Dacre Montgomery) and Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), too. But what about in Stranger Things season 5?
Surprisingly, the Duffer Brothers have confirmed there won’t be any new characters in Stranger Things season 5! While discussing the upcoming season on the season 4 volume 2 after-show for Netflix Geeked, Matt Duffer promised they will not add new characters in the final installment. We’re sure fans will be relieved to learn this, as many feel that there are too many characters and storylines going on in the show by the end of season 4.
Stranger Things season 5 time jump
Another thing we know about Stranger Things season 5 already is that it will likely feature a significant time jump. While speaking to TV Line, the Duffers explained that they had hoped they could have filmed seasons 4 and 5 back to back, but that wasn’t the case, explaining that there was “no feasible way to do that.”
The reason for a time jump could be because the child actors of Stranger Things are no longer children and it might be difficult to make them look like they’re still in high school. We’ll be sure to update you once we know for sure what this potential time jump in season 5 will look like.
Where does Stranger Things season 5 take place?
Stranger Things season 4 introduces new locations as we get to see Jim Hopper (David Harbour) living out in Russia as a prisoner, while Joyce (Winona Ryder), Will, Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) are getting used to their new home in Lenora Hills, California. According to the Duffers, season 5 will see the main characters together again in Hawkins, Indiana, meaning the majority — if not all — of the upcoming season will take place where it all began.
Stranger Things season 5 episode lengths
A huge part of Stranger Things season 4 that people couldn’t stop talking about was the episode lengths. We basically got movies for each episode, and the finale runs at a whopping two hours and 19 minutes long. Hey, I’m not complaining! The more Stranger Things the better. But what about for season 5? The Duffers have already started discussing the episode lengths.
According to the show’s creators, the episodes in season 5 are not expected to be as long as the ones in season 4. However, the Stranger Things season 5 finale will clock in at over two hours. “We’re more likely to do what we did [with the season 4 finale], which is to just have a 2.5 hour episode,” Matt Duffer said about the series finale on the Happy Sad Confused.
Stranger Things spinoffs
Even though Stranger Things is ending with season 5, that most likely won’t be the end of this universe. In the season 4 release date and season 5 renewal letter from the Duffer Brothers which you can see above, the creators also tease that, “There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes.” Of course, this signals that spinoffs are coming. And we even got some details about one earlier this year.
In May 2022, the Duffers teased one spinoff idea they have, noting that only Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard knows what it’s about. They told Variety:
“We do have an idea for a spinoff that we’re super excited about … but we haven’t told anyone the idea yet, much less written it. We think everyone, including Netflix, will be surprised when they hear the concept, because it’s very, very different. But somehow Finn Wolfhard, who is one crazy smart kid, correctly guessed what it was going to be about. But aside from Finn, no one else knows!”
There are so many different avenues the Duffers could take with a Stranger Things spinoff, and fans already have their theories. Famed horror writer Stephen King says they should do a spinoff all about Yuri (Nikola Đuričko), the Russian smuggler who we’re introduced to in season 4 volume 1. We’ll have to wait and see what the showrunners choose to explore next.
While being interviewed on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, the Duffers revealed the spinoff will not focus on Eleven or any of the central characters.
Is Stranger Things season 5 filming?
Stranger Things season 5 is not yet filming as of July 2022, which makes sense considering season 4 volume 2 was just released. We’re curious to see when production on the next season starts, though, especially because some of the show’s stars have other gigs lined up.
The next movie in the Ghostbusters franchise, which Finn Wolfhard is a part of, is set to release in Dec. 2023. Plus, it was announced that Millie Bobby Brown will star in a new Netflix movie from the Russo Brothers called The Electric State. The cast of Stranger Things is booked and busy, so we hope they can start filming season 5 soon.
Stranger Things season 5 release predictions
At this time, we don’t have a release date for Stranger Things season 5, but we can definitely make predictions. Especially because the Duffer Brothers have already come out and said fans shouldn’t have to wait as long for season 5 as they did for season 4. They said in an interview with Variety:
“Don’t hold us to it, but the gap should be quite a bit shorter this time, due to the fact that we already have an initial outline, and we can’t imagine there will be another six-month forced hiatus.”
They’re not promising anything, but it’s good to know the Duffer Brothers at least don’t think we’ll be waiting nearly three years for season 5. But given the extensive filming and VFX process in post-production, I don’t think we’ll be getting the new season anytime soon. As a prediction right now, with filming not started yet, we could see Stranger Things season 5 coming out sometime in 2024.
David Harbour recently came out and said he believes season 5 will begin filming sometime next year, telling GQ: “So it’d probably come out mid-2024, based on our track record.” This hasn’t been confirmed by Netflix, but we’d assume Harbour has a pretty good guess.
Keep up with us at Netflix Life for all of our updates on Stranger Things season 5.
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