STRANGER THINGS: SEASON 5. (L to R) Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, and Noah Schnapp as Will Byers in STRANGER THINGS: SEASON 5.
COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2025
After more than three years, it’s finally time to return to Hawkins. The fifth and final season of Stranger Things will be released in three volumes over the next few weeks, with the highly anticipated first part dropping on Wednesday, Nov. 25.
Netflix’ hit sci-fi horror series, created by the Duffer Brothers, premiered in 2016 and will conclude with the upcoming fifth season. All the main characters who survived Season 4 will return, with Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, David Harbour, Winona Ryder, and more reprising their roles. New additions include Linda Hamilton, Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly and Alex Breaux.
The upcoming season picks up after the Season 4, Part 2 finale, where the Hawkins crew tried to take down Vecna (aka Henry Creel or No. 001) for good. Max volunteered to serve as bait to lure the monster in, while Eleven used a sensory deprivation tank to enter Max’s mind and confront him directly. Vecna kills Max, triggering the opening of the fourth gate, but Eleven uses her powers to revive her, and Max remains in a coma.
The finale also saw Hellfire Club’s Eddie Munson heroically sacrifice himself to distract the demobats and protect his friends. Though severely injured, Vecna managed to escape, and Hawkins was left in ruin, with the barrier between the real world and the Upside Down effectively gone. The next chapter will show Hawkins “scarred by the opening of the Rifts,” with all your favorites reunited for one mission: to kill Vecna.
Keep reading for all the Volume 1 release details, including the premiere time (which differs from other Netflix series), how many episodes are in Part 1 and how to watch.
What Time Is Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 Coming Out On Netflix?
STRANGER THINGS. (L to R) David Harbour as Jim Hopper and Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven in STRANGER THINGS.
© 2025 Netflix, LLC.
Stranger Things Season 5, Part 1 premieres on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Netflix.
How Many Episodes Are In Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1?
STRANGER THINGS: SEASON 5. (L to R) Noah Schnapp as Will Byers and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna in Stranger Things: Season 5.
COURTESY OF NETFLIX © 2025
The first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5 are included in Volume 1.
Volume 2, out Dec. 25, will include consist of three episodes (Episodes 5, 6 and 7). The third part, consisting solely of Episode 8 — which serves as the series finale — will be released on Dec. 31, 2025, bringing the Season 5 total episode count to eight.
The popular series has alternated between releasing 8 and 9 episodes per season. Seasons 1 and 3 had eight episodes, while Seasons 2 and 4 each had nine.
How To Watch Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1
STRANGER THINGS. Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers in STRANGER THINGS.
© 2025 Netflix, LLC.
To watch Stranger Things Season 5 Part 1 and previous seasons of the series, you’ll need to sign up for a Netflix membership. The streamer currently offers three options: Standard with ads starts at $7.99 per month, Standard (no ads) is $17.99 per month and Premium (no ads) is $24.99 per month. You can learn more on Netflix’s plans and pricing site.
Can You Watch Stranger Things Season 5 Part 1 For Free?
Unfortunately, Netflix does not offer a free trial. That means the only way to watch new episodes of Stranger Things is with a subscription to the streaming service.
What Will Stranger Things Season 5 Volume 1 Be About?
STRANGER THINGS: SEASON 5. (L to R) Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, and Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair in Stranger Things: Season 5.
© 2025 Netflix, Inc.
A few days before the release of Volume 1, Netflix dropped the official trailer for the first four episodes. The trailer shows the crew coming together to track Vecna’s whereabouts while being attacked by demogorgons, all as the government continues its pursuit of Eleven.
“The fall of 1987. Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna,” the official synopsis for Season 5 reads. “But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown. Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding.”
The description continues, “As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”
Check out the newly released trailer for Season 5, Volume 1, below.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/monicamercuri/2025/11/26/what-time-is-stranger-things-season-5-volume-1-coming-out-on-netflix-tonight/
