Stranger Things 5 is getting ready to say goodbye in a big way. Netflix has confirmed that the final episode will be much longer than usual. The last chapter is titled The Rightside Up. It will run for 2 hours and 5 minutes. This makes it one of the longest episodes in the show’s history. The extended length hints at an intense and emotional ending for the story in Hawkins.
The finale will release worldwide on December 31 at 5 p.m. PT on Netflix. At the same time, it will also play in more than 500 theatres across the US and Canada. These special screenings will continue until January 1, 2026. Fans will get a rare chance to watch the final episode on the big screen.
Season 5 begins in the fall of 1987. Hawkins is still broken after the Rifts opened. The group comes together with one clear goal. They want to find Vecna and stop him for good. The problem is that Vecna has disappeared. No one knows where he is or what he is planning. The government has stepped in and locked down the town. Hawkins is under military control. The hunt for Eleven has also become more intense. This forces her to go back into hiding.
Netflix has already shared how the final season is being released. The first 4 episodes started streaming on November 26. Three more episodes will drop on December 25. The final episode arrives on December 31. Netflix confirmed that the finale will stream online and also get limited theatre screenings.
The Duffer Brothers shared their excitement about this plan. They said it has always been a dream to show the final episode in theatres. Watching it on a big screen with loud sound and a full crowd feels special to them. They believe it is the perfect way to end the journey.
The final season brings back many familiar faces. Winona Ryder, Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Jamie Campbell Bower, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Charlie Heaton, and Maya Hawke all return. New actors joining the season include Alex Breaux, Jake Connelly, Nell Fisher, and Linda Hamilton.
With a massive runtime and a theatrical send off, Stranger Things is preparing for an ending that fans will remember for a long time.
