Earlier this year, Netflix confirmed the long-awaited fates of Stranger Things and Wednesday, two of its most iconic and record-shattering series. However, the streaming giant left fans reeling this holiday season with a disappointing update.
After weathering significant delays in 2023 due to the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, speculation about the future of these supernatural hits ran rampant. With Stranger Things preparing for its epic fifth and final season and Wednesday heading into its second, fans held out hope that at least one would arrive in 2024.
But as production delays mounted, a 2024 release began to seem like a pipe dream. Earlier this year, Netflix confirmed both shows would premiere in 2025, providing some insight into what’s ahead for each series.
To commemorate November 6, 1983—better known as “Stranger Things Day,” marking Will Byers’ (Noah Schnapp) disappearance into the Upside Down—Netflix dropped a special teaser. The video revealed the titles for the Duffer Brothers’ final eight episodes, promising a heart-stopping conclusion to Hawkins’ story.
The episode titles include “The Crawl” (previously announced), “The Vanishing of…,” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape From Camazotz,” “The Bridge,” and the poignant finale, “The Rightside Up.” The latter title is a touching nod to Season 1’s “The Upside Down,” suggesting the story may come full circle.
Season 5 will reunite viewers with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), and Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin) as they face Vecna (Henry Creel/One/Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Upside Down one last time. Fan favorites Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), and Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield) are also confirmed, ensuring an emotional farewell.
Just weeks ago, Netflix teased its upcoming slate during a Q3 earnings report.
“Looking ahead to 2025, fans can expect new seasons of our biggest hits: Wednesday, Squid Game, Stranger Things,” the company shared. “Add to that new projects from Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, Rian Johnson’s Knives Out sequel, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, and the return of Happy Gilmore. We couldn’t be more excited for what’s coming.”
Yet, Netflix’s recent 2025 teaser trailer left fans fuming, as it failed to include any new footage from Stranger Things 5. Instead, it rehashed old clips to promote upcoming seasons of its major hits, which also included Wednesday and *Squid Game.
The response online has been scathing. Fan account @Updates_SThings shared the teaser on X (formerly Twitter):
“What is this shit? Just the logo… Netflix… #StrangerThings5”
Another user, @b1tchinggreen, added:
“How you gonna advertise 3 new seasons of shows and then just show the same footage from the older ones? And when all the seasons have been filmed, so they don’t have an excuse.”
Meanwhile, @Bart2389 called for a Super Bowl reveal:
“Looks like that’s it… again we’re disappointed. All Netflix did was show off old clips… Super Bowl HAS to be when we get the first footage.”
Even @byrhop jokingly threatened a boycott:
“@netflix give Stranger Things 5 footage or we’re boycotting Squid Game.”
As fans wait with bated breath for the first glimpse of Stranger Things 5, Netflix is keeping its cards close to its chest.
Meanwhile, Wednesday is also set to return in 2025, bringing more gothic charm to Nevermore Academy. Starring Jenna Ortega, the smash hit broke records in 2022, surpassing Stranger Things as Netflix’s most-viewed English-language show in a single week. (Squid Game still holds the all-time record.)
Season 2 promises new characters—played by Joanna Lumley, Haley Joel Osment, Christopher Lloyd, Thandiwe Newton, and even Lady Gaga—and feature-length episodes akin to mini-movies.
With over 280 million subscribers, Netflix reigns as the streaming king. With Stranger Things, Wednesday, and Squid Game headlining its 2025 lineup, the platform is gearing up for another groundbreaking year.
What do you think of Netflix’s promotional strategy for Stranger Things 5? Are you disappointed or cautiously optimistic? Let us know in the comments below!
I’m loosing interest in stranger things. It’s been too long. No new scenes? Eh … What ever you want to do. I don’t think I will ever watch it anyway. I started to watch the old episodes again to refresh my memory but I just can’t get into it anymore. I need new material… Maybe 🤔 or not.
I loved this show, but I really hope its viewer numbers plummet. We need to let these people know that waiting 80 years between seasons is not acceptable. This is becoming a trend with TV shows and I hate it!!! If they take more than a year to release the next season, stop watching!
I’m gonna be 75 years old in June, so l probably won’t be around by the time season 5 starts.
Considering they JUST FINISHED filming Season 5, do you think they were gonna give us anything significant? I for sure wasn’t expecting much of anything. Netflix and the Duffer bros will release what they want when they’re ready – we got behind the scenes photos and can’t wait to put those in place when the final season drops (guessing in 2 parts again)