Stranger Things season 5 has some huge shoes to fill, and Finn Wolfhard revealed everyone was worried over how the final season would be received (via Time). The actor recalled that everyone was adamant about not wanting season 5 to be a repeat of Game of Thrones, another cultural behemoth whose final season left a negative mark on the show’s legacy. But upon reading the material, they were assured it was something special.
I think everyone was pretty worried, honestly. The way that Game of Thrones got torn to shreds in that final season, we’re all walking into this going, ‘We hope to not have that kind of thing happen.’ But then we read the scripts. We knew that it was something special
Considering how substantial the IP was to Netflix’s rise as a streaming giant, the media giant has entertained the prospect of continuing the universe of Stranger Things, depending on how well the upcoming season performs.
The Future of Stranger Things Will Depend on the Finale’s Reception
Although the Duffer brothers will be joining Paramount to realize their theatrical ambitions, the duo did discuss their plans for a potential spin-off with Variety. However, none of them intends to expand the IP into an “insanely convoluted mythology”
Now, whether the spin-off, about which they have been extremely secretive, even from producer Shawn Levy, will transpire depends on how the finale is received. And if Wolfhard’s comments do turn out to be true, fans of the series might have a lot to look forward to beyond season 5. Speaking of the potential spin-off, Levy said:
They’ve been very protective of spinoff talk, and I understand that the Matt-Ross bubble is sacred. I’m excited to extend the storytelling life of ‘Stranger Things’ — I’m not going to call it a ‘universe,’ because that would be obnoxious.
With the show’s release date just around the corner, the Duffer brothers shared that they wanted to bring the season 5 finale to the big screens.
Stranger Things Creators Advocated for a Theatrical Run of the Series Finale
Although theatrical runs and Netflix don’t go hand in hand, with KPop Demon Hunters set to return to cinemas this Halloween weekend, a theatrical window for the finale of Netflix’s biggest IP would make sense on paper. And following the showrunners’ own theatrical ambitions, they vouched for the theater experience, which would allow fans to experience the finale in the way they intended alongside other fans.
This further explains why the duo is jumping to Paramount. Unfortunately, in a totally unsurprising revelation, Netflix’s CCO, Bela Bajaria, refused to realize this idea, adding:
A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched Stranger Things on Netflix. It has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom. I think releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want.
Even though concluding a successful long-running show isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, as many shows, apart from a few exceptions, generally struggle to deliver a final satisfying punch, hopefully, season 5 won’t drop the ball.
What are your expectations for the finale season? Comment below!
Stranger Things Season 5 Part 1 drops on November 26, 2025, with Part 2 following on Christmas Day 2025 and Part 3 on New Year’s Eve 2025.
