Stranger Things season 4's explosive ending sets up an even bigger story in season 5 - here's
everything we know about the next return to Hawkins.
Here’s everything you need to know about Stranger Things season 5.
After the explosive events of Stranger Things season 4 part 2's ending, and the showdown
with Vecna, Hawkins was left facing another rift caused by the villain.
The story is far from over and while it may take some time to get over the events of Season
4, the hype to return to Hawkins and the Upside Down is real.
The Duffer Brothers planned Stranger Things’ expansive story from the outset, with a multi-season
story mapped out before fans even met Eleven.
Six years after the debut of the future Hellfire Club, the gang have gone through incredible
hardships, losing friends and family members and saving the world on multiple occasions.
For every victory, though, the Upside Down gets smarter, throwing out new nightmares.
It’s clear that before Stranger Things ends, there will have to be a final showdown.
Stranger Things season 4 part 2 is now done, after a mammoth feature-length finale and
the question of what comes next rings loud.
So what can we expect from Netflix’s flagship sci-fi show and what will happen in Stranger
Things season 5?
Read on for Stranger Things season 5 story hints, updates and information.
Stranger Things Season 5 Renewal - Is It Happening?
As The Duffer Brothers have already confirmed in an open letter to fans, Stranger Things
season 5 is definitely happening:
Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things.
At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons.
It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll soon see for yourselves – we are
now hurtling toward our finale.
Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last."
The decision to extend to a fifth season avoided the same problems that Game of Thrones faced
in its final season with pacing and trying to resolve storylines too quickly.
Stranger Things season 4 part 2 had enough space to tell Vecna's backstory, and build
the villain's mythology, as well as developing the dynamic between human cast members.
How Stranger Things Season 4'S Ending Sets Up Season 5.
While the Upside Down's real villain, Vecna is defeated in Stranger Things season 4 part
2, he is not killed, and his disappearance almost certainly sets up his return as the
villain of the final season.
Hawkins also suffers a rift, creating a cliffhanger that breaks Stranger Things' usual final episode
trend.
After all, the Duffers usually tie everything up nicely, as a story reset before the new
season brings a new threat.
This time, though, the four gates that opened throughout Hawkins connect at its center,
opening rifts from which smoke and storms pour into the real world, prompting a mass
exit from the town.
The next Stranger Things chapter already has a lot to deal with.
According to the Duffers, there is already a firm plan for Stranger Things season 5's
story, as they revealed in their letter to fans:
“There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things;
new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes.
But first we hope that you stay with us as we finish this tale of a powerful girl named
Eleven and her brave friends, of a broken police chief and a ferocious mom, of a small
town called Hawkins and an alternate dimension called the Upside Down.
As always, we are gracious for your patience and your support.”
So far, nothing has been written, but Stranger Things season 5's story has to be the biggest
yet, with all-out war brewing between the Upside Down and the real world, with Vecna
and Eleven as the generals.
And there's also the small matter of Max's fate and how she can be brought back.
When Will Stranger Things Season 5 Be Set?
It seems that Stranger Things season 5 will see a time-jump, at least partly to help justify
the fact that the teenage central cast are now too old to convincingly play their ages.
Most are now over the age of 19, and Joe Keery (Steve Harrington) is already 30.
There's only so much suspension of belief, even where the Upside Down is concerned and
wrapping up the story quick enough to avoid any actor aging issues is not really an option.
Instead, skipping forward in time makes them less of a concern, as well as affording a
new story set-up, given the way the Upside Down breaks through at the end of Stranger
Things season 4 part 2.
Ross Duffer already revealed the plans for a time-jump:
"I’m sure we will do a time jump.
Ideally, we’d have shot [Seasons 4 and 5] back to back, but there was just no feasible
way to do that."
Even with Stranger Things season 4 part 2's cliffhanger ending and most Hawkins residents
leaving, there is a feasible way to explain a time jump.
Vecna was defeated in battle and could disappear for even a period of years - skipping the
main cast to high school graduation age symbolically - in order to recharge, before using the rifts
from the Upside Down to easily attack the real world.
And that would allow for a real world response that doesn't leave the Hellfire Club to fend
for themselves in what could be a final war to end all wars.
Stranger Things Season 5 Cast: Who Could Return.
Thankfully, the majority of Stranger Things' cast would be free to return for season 5.
Only Sadie Sink's Max Mayfield is in danger, but it's presumably unlikely she will be killed
off between seasons, despite being in a coma at the end.
That means all of the main cast are likely to return: here's every Stranger Things season
4 cast member who can return for season 5:
As for Vecna?
Jamie Campbell Bower has already teased he may be back: “Let me put it this way: I
know about season five.
Take from that what you will,” (via The Hollywood Reporter).
The only Stranger Things cast members who are unlikely to return are those who are killed
off in season 4 part 2.
Matthew Modine's Dr Brenner may have survived "death" once, but he seems to be definitely
dead now, while Joseph Quinn's former living legend Eddie Munson died in the Upside Down,
and secondary antagonist Jason Carver (Mason Dye) are both unlikely to return.
Barring some sort of Vecna-powered afterlife twist.
After all, if Jim Hopper can survive being evaporated, anything is possible.
Will Stranger Things Season 5 Be Split Into 2 Parts?
Though the decision to split Stranger Things season 4 into 2 parts proved unpopular for
some - especially when the first part ended - it wasn't done for cynical reasons.
The Duffers revealed that the split was added in order "to get it to you as soon as possible"
given the unprecedented length of the season.
That is no guarantee that Stranger Things season 5 will follow the same model, but it's
unlikely the final season of Netflix's flagship show will be smaller than the penultimate
one - logic dictates the opposite.
And because Netflix will not want to sign off on a multi-year delay before the next
chapter releases, it seems logical that Stranger Things season 5 could be broken in two again.
What We Know About Stranger Things' Spin-Off.
Stranger Things season 5 isn't the only future development for the Duffers, with a Stranger
Things spin-off also promised.
The Duffers talked about other mysteries they could tell after they wrap up Eleven's story,
and Ross Duffer has previously talked about when development may start:
“There’s a version of it developing in parallel [to season 5], but they would never
shoot it parallel.
I think actually we’re going to start delving into that soon as we’re winding down and
finishing these visual effects, Matt and I are going to start getting into it.”
Excitingly, Matt Duffer also confirmed that the spin-off will be a different prospect
entirely to Stranger Things: “It’s going to be different than what anyone is expecting,
including Netflix.”
Stranger Things Season 5 Predicted Release Date.
Stranger Things season 5's release is likely to be some distance away.
While the Duffers wanted to shoot it back-to-back with season 4, that proved impossible, despite
how much it could have sped up the release.
Post-production on Stranger Things season 4 was behind the need to split it into two
parts, and it is likely season 5 is bigger again, with inevitably bigger post-production
requirements too.
It took almost two years to film Stranger Things season 4 even before the post-production
stage started, and though lockdown will have played a part in that extended filming period,
Stranger Things season 5 could still have a lengthy filming schedule.
That makes 2024 the likely earliest release for the final season.