‘Stranger Things’ Fans Getting New Netflix Show, But It’s Not Season 5
Netflix’s Stranger Things is making its long-awaited return—though not as soon as many had hoped.
The streaming giant recently confirmed during its Q3 earnings call that the hit series will be back in 2025, alongside a powerful roster of top-tier content. “So looking into 2025, you’ve got new seasons of our biggest shows: Wednesday, Squid Game, Stranger Things,” the company 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.”
While the announcement sent waves of excitement through the fanbase, Netflix’s official 2025 preview trailer stirred up frustration when it dropped with no new footage from Stranger Things Season 5. Instead, fans were shown clips from earlier seasons, prompting many to voice their disappointment online.
That frustration may have inspired one particularly determined fan to take matters into their own hands. According to X user Stranger Things News (@UpsideDownScoop), a deep dive into Netflix’s website code unearthed what appears to be a tentative internal release date: November 27, 2025. While unconfirmed by Netflix or series creators the Duffer Brothers, the timing does fall in line with the show’s tradition of seasonal releases—particularly near Halloween and the annual “Stranger Things Day” on November 6.
That date commemorates the in-universe disappearance of Will Byers in 1983, and in 2023, Netflix used the occasion to offer fans a glimpse into the series’ final chapter. A teaser dropped last November revealed the full list of episode titles for Season 5, reigniting a storm of theories across social media.
Among the eight titles confirmed: “The Crawl” (previously announced), “The Vanishing of…,” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape From Camazotz,” “The Bridge,” and the finale, “The Rightside Up”—a title that cleverly echoes Season 1’s iconic “The Upside Down” and hints at the story coming full circle.
Returning to lead the charge are series regulars Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), and Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), who are set to face off once more against Jamie Campbell Bower’s Vecna/Henry Creel. Familiar faces Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), and Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield) are also back, setting the stage for an emotional and action-packed conclusion.
But the final season won’t be the next project to debut from the Hawkins universe. That honor goes to Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a stage prequel that premiered at London’s Phoenix Theatre in late 2023. Conceived by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry, the theatrical experience dives into the origin of Henry Creel and his family’s unsettling time in Hawkins, Indiana.
Following its West End run, the show is officially headed to Broadway with a premiere set for April 22, after beginning previews on March 28. And fans who can’t make it to the stage won’t be left out—Netflix is offering a behind-the-scenes look with a new documentary, Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow, set to stream April 15.
“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,” Tudum revealed.
While fans wait for more details on Season 5, Netflix’s other genre juggernaut, Wednesday, is also gearing up for a 2025 return. Directed by Tim Burton and led by Jenna Ortega, the gothic mystery-comedy broke viewership records when it launched in 2022—briefly overtaking Stranger Things as Netflix’s most-watched English-language series in a single week.
Season 2 promises more dark delights from Nevermore Academy, along with a wave of new cast additions, including Joanna Lumley, Haley Joel Osment, Christopher Lloyd, Thandiwe Newton, and Lady Gaga. Ortega recently teased that the new season will feature feature-length episodes, offering a more cinematic experience for fans.
The return of both Wednesday and Stranger Things comes as Netflix leans hard into its biggest franchises to maintain its dominant position in the streaming wars. With over 280 million subscribers and a slate anchored by globally beloved IP, Netflix continues to outpace rivals like Disney+, Max, and Hulu.
What do you think of the lack of new Stranger Things footage in Netflix’s 2025 preview? Do you believe the November 27 release date holds up? Drop your thoughts for us in the comments below!
