Here’s What’s Coming to Netflix in July 2018

In February 2022, brothers, writers, and creators Matt and Ross announced both the date of season four, and that season five would be the last installment. "Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things," they say in the statement. "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 known only as the Upside Down."

Here's everything we know about Stranger Things 5.

What are the Stranger Things 5 episode titles?

For Stranger Things Day 2024, Netflix finally released the title names for season 5 — and they might have just confirmed a years-long theory. The Stranger Things finale will be called "The Rightside Up," which immediately reminds me of the theory that Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven will redeem the Upside Down from a place of darkness and horror to somewhere our favorite late characters can rest (or in the words of one Reddit user, "Eleven should take Vecna's place as the new ruler of the Upside Down and make it into a paradise"). And if that means we get to see Eddie, Barb, Bob, and Alexei again? Then that's just the cherry on top. It's also even sweeter when you remember the season 1 finale is called "The Upside Down."

"'the rightside up' just confirms to me that stranger things 5 has a happy ending," one X user says, while another jokes, "the last episode of st5 being the rightside up makes me sick." But I take comfort knowing David Harbour called the finale "the best episode they’ve ever done.”

All I gotta say is if season 5 ends by telling us the whole show was one big D&D game, I'm going to lose my marbles.

The Stranger Things 5 Episode Titles:

• Episode 1: “The Crawl”
• Episode 2: “The Vanishing of …”
• Episode 3: “The Turnbow Trap”
• Episode 4: “Sorcerer”
• Episode 5: “Shock Jock”
• Episode 6: “Escape from Camazotz”
• Episode 7: “The Bridge”
• Episode 8: “The Rightside Up”

When is Stranger Things 5 coming out?

Stranger Things 5 is officially coming to Netflix in 2025.

Production was supposed to begin summer 2023, but because of the writers' strike (and the subsequent SAG-AFTRA actors' strike), Stranger Things 5was delayed until September 2023, when @strangerwriters tweeted, "we're back." And on March 9, Millie Bobby Brown told The Jonathan Ross Show that the cast has nine months of filming left.

The final season is in production now, and based on the timeline for Stranger Things 3 (which began filming in April of 2018 and released in July of 2019), we can expect Stranger Things 5 to hit Netflix late spring or early summer 2025.

Is there a Stranger Things 5 trailer?

We don't have a trailer for Stranger Things 5 yet, but fans are convinced we're getting one on November 6 for one special reason: it's Stranger Things Day. @StrangerNews11 went viral on X for saying the trailer was dropping on that date, and fans were more than happy to accept the rumor.

"Let's freaking gooooooo!!!!!!" one user responded, while lots of other accounts posed gifs of excited, screaming people. November 6 is Stranger Things Day because that's the day Will first went missing in the Upside Down, and releasing the trailer for the final season would be the perfect way to pay homage to the series!

Is Stranger Things 5 going to be sad?

Stranger Things 5 is definitely going to be bittersweet. I'm hoping we see our favorite nerds defeat Vecna once and for all, but it's going to be sad to reach the end of this journey! But the cast doesn't even know how sad it'll be — considering Winona Ryder revealed they haven't done their read through for the finale yet. (Although both Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour claim they know at least part of the end).

"It's already starting to be heartbreaking, you know?" Maya Hawke, who plays Robin, tells ET at the world premiere of Inside Out 2. "I mean it's the end of a really long journey. Longer for some of my castmates, even, than for me. So it's really sentimental."

"But as a late addition cast member, I feel like it's my job to be here to facilitate their feelings and just be grateful and excited to have been a part of it all," she continues. "We shoot for a long time, so it's kind of reinvigorating [to bring] the joy and finding it everyday and making it new. It's a really fun thing to do."

Will Max be in Stranger Things 5?

Yes, Max (and Sadie Sink) will be in Stranger Things season 5! In a new interview with Variety, Sink reveals the Stranger Things cast has been living in the same neighborhood so they can all hang out before the series wraps. The end of Stranger Things 4 featured Max in a coma after narrowly escaping Vecna, and fans are crossing all their fingers and toes we'll see Max in action again.

“[The Duffers] love having me run,” she teases. “That’s all I’ll say.”

This is totally bringing me back to the iconic Stranger Things 4 momentwhere Max battled Vecna in his mind palace — running back to Lucas, Steve, and Dustin while Kate Bush's "Running Up That Hill" played in the background. And considering Max is STILL in a coma, I'm wondering if we'll get another standoff between the two characters (either IRL, in the Upside Down, or in Vecna's mind palace). The jury's still out on whether we'll hear Bush's song again, but never say never!

“She’s going to play a part in the season,” Matt Duffer promises. While they won't reveal how just yet, Duffer says they “did film a scene the other day with her that was just absolutely heartbreaking." Yikes!!

What happens in Stranger Things 5?

We're waiting for an official synopsis for Stranger Things 5, but thanks to a new video from Millie Bobby Brown, I'm wondering if all of those time jump rumors are true. In the Stranger Things 4 finale, Eleven is rocking a shaved head, but in Millie's new video, she has a longer ponytail that would take at least a year or two to grow out.

While Millie could definitely wear a wig for the final season (like she does in season 4), the fact that she's in costume with her signature bloody nose leads me to believe her hair is how we'll see it onscreen. Plus, her gray quarter zip and navy bandana are definitely giving late '80s, early '90s. I would love to see the show move into 1989, and I can't wait to see if we truly do get a time jump!

In an interview with Happy Sad Confused's Josh Horowitz, David Harbour says that the Duffers always outdo themselves. “I’m excited to go back. I’m excited to wrap it up in a bold, amazing way," he continues. "I’m excited to really swing with this character, because you know they’re going to pay off these OG characters: Eleven, Hopper, Joyce, Will, Mike; they’re going to pay them off in big ways because they’ve lived with you for the past eight years.”

Even though David keeps his lips sealed when it comes to plot details, he does promise that the series' end is "very, very moving."

Other members of the ST team have also offered a glimpse at what we can expect. “Will really takes center stage again in [Stranger Things 5],” Ross Duffer tells Variety. The first season, which kicked off with Will (Noah Schnapp) being abducted, will wrap up where it started. Especially since the first Stranger Things 5 leakseems to show the season will take place during the holidays. Just like season one!

After years of speculation from fans, Noah confirmed that Will is gay in July of 2022 — a decision that impacted his own life as he publicly came out on TikTok in January 2023.

"I think the way I act in Season 5, honestly, might be a little different," Noah says in the same Variety interview. "I will be fully aware of who I am. Knowing all of that about myself and being able to invest that in my character, I’m honestly just excited.”

“This emotional arc for him is what we feel is going to hopefully tie the whole series together," Ross continues. "Will is used to being the young one, the introverted one, the one that’s being protected. So part of his journey, it’s not just sexuality — it’s Will coming into his own as a young man.”

Who's going to be in Stranger Things 5?

Thanks to a recent behind-the-scenes photo from Netflix, we know for sure that Stranger Things season 5 will bring back all our favorites. The photo confirms we'll see Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Noah Schnapp as Will, Finn Wolfhard as Mike, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin, Natalia Dyer as Nancy, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan, Sadie Sink as Max, Maya Hawke as Robin, Joe Keery as Steve, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, and Winona Ryder as Joyce. Plus more returning stars like Amybeth McNulty and Priah Ferguson!

Even though Joseph Quinn's Eddie met a tragic fate at the end of Stranger Things 4, he recently hinted we could be seeing the beloved character again. During the April 2024 Facts Convention in Belgium, when a fan asks whether he'll return for the final season, Joseph takes his time to respond (and looks somewhat nervous, might I add). "I do know [whether Eddie's in season 5]," the Fantastic Four actor finally says. "But I'm not telling you."

We've seen deceased characters return as hallucinations before, so I wouldn't be surprised if Stranger Things season 5 features all the characters we've been missing — especially if Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven defeats Vecna and turns the Upside Down into a place of beauty instead of a place of horror.

Will Millie be in season 5?

Yes, Millie Bobby Brown is in Stranger Things 5! She sat down with MTV's Josh Horowitz ahead of her new movie Damsel to talk about the end of the series, and confirmed the vibe is "the exact same" as it's always been.

"I wish I could be like, 'Everybody's crying everyday.' But everybody's having fun!" she says in the interview. "I know closer to the end, we're gonna think about the end, but right now it's nice and it's really fun to be back together again...[We may be] a few months toward the end but we know it's a long road ahead. So right now we're living in bliss."

Who isn't returning to Stranger Things 5?

Eduardo Franco, who played Jonathan's friend Argyle in Stranger Things 4, said in an interview with Steve Varley that he wouldn't be returning for the final season of the show. “It’s nice to hear that there’s some sort of, you know, concern or something, you know what I mean?” Eduardo says. “But I never got a phone call, so I think that’s it.”

And while Eddie Munson (played by Joseph Quinn) became one of the series' most popular characters, his death in the finale feels pretty permanent. "I really don’t know,” Joseph told British GQ in 2022. “[Eddie] seems pretty f—king dead to me...By no means am I ruling it out. That’s a decision for the grown-ups to make. But Stranger Things was doing fine without Eddie. I think they’ll be fine next season without him, too.”

Who is the new character in Stranger Things 5?

Linda Hamilton (The Terminator, Children of the Corn) is joining the Stranger Things 5. We don't know what kind of role she'll be playing, but we do know she loves Stranger Things as much as we do. “I don’t know how to be a fangirl and an actress at the same time,” she said in a video announcement at Netflix's Tudum event. “I’m gonna work on that.”

Is there a Stranger Things spinoff coming?

"There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things," the Duffers say in their statement announcing the end of the series. "New mysteries, new adventures new unexpected heroes."

In addition to the Stranger Things: The First Shadowstage play in London, we're also getting a live-action spinoff via Netflix. No one knows what the spinoff is about — except for Finn Wolfhard, who happened to guess it!

Is Millie Bobby Brown done with Stranger Things?

Millie Bobby Brown is returning as Eleven, but she said in an interview with Women’s Wear Daily that she's looking forward to the next chapter of life. Now 20, she started the series when she was 11 years old. “It’s been such a huge factor in part of my life, but it’s like graduating high school, it’s like senior year,” she says. “You’re ready to go and blossom and flourish and you’re grateful for the time you’ve had, but it’s time to create your own message and live your own life.”

Other members of the cast have also expressed their thoughts on the show's end.

“It’s interesting to constantly just be reminded how much people have resonated with it," Gaten Matarrazzo said onTheTonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "It’s something that’s so important to all of us and has just been essential to the growth that I’ve had over all of my teenage years into my 20s. It’s the defining aspect of the past 10 years of my life.”

Even if Finn Wolfhard, isn't quite ready for the show to end, he knows it's time. "If Stranger Things went on any longer than five, I would say it would be ridiculous,” Wolfhard told Uproxx. “I think the Duffer brothers figured out, I would imagine, a perfect ending in five. We didn’t even know if we’d do two. So we’re happy that people still are around and want to watch it.”

Your First Look At Stranger Things 5 Fan Favorite Dustin Henderson

After sharing images of Joe Keery and Maya Hawke as Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley, co-creator Ross Duffer shared a picture of Gaten Matarazzo's Dustin in full Hellfire Club gear. Gaten's doing the signature move of fan favorite character Eddie Munson (who died at the end of Stranger Things 4), and a new leaked photo from set connects Dustin and Eddie in another way, too.

The image shows Dustin at Eddie's grave, which has been vandalized with spray paint. The only word we can clearly make out is "Burn," but considering Eddie led the Hellfire club, it's safe to assume the spray paint reads "Burn in Hell" — especially after the Satanic Panic plotline in ST4 turned all of Hawkins against Eddie. If Dustin is the new leader of the club, and the town still hates it, I'm going to need him to watch his back. STAY SAFE DUSTIN.

Is Madelyn Cline's Sarah Cameron pregnant?

After the part 2 trailer dropped, fans immediately wondered if Sarah will announce a pregnancy. After all, Kiara's shock is exactly how I've responded to my BFF's telling me they're pregnant...And now that we know season 5will be the final installment of the show, I'm more convinced than ever this theory could be true.

The central plot and drama of each season has focused on a different character since the pilot: season 1 was about John B., season 2 was about Pope, season 3 revolved around Kiara, and now season 4 places JJ at the center. That means season 5 will probably focus on Sarah like never before — and creators Josh Pate, Jonas Pate, and Shannon Burke told Tudum that the feature-length finale sets up season 5 perfectly. TLDR; I'm expecting us to get some serious Sarah Cameron drama!

Madelyn Cline actually told People that she's excited to see Sarah and John B. get some good news for a change. "We've had enough [drama]. We have 3 seasons worth," she joked. "I feel like they have been fighting each other quite a bit and I've been tired of it. Because I'm tired of people coming for me."

Is Outer Banks season 4 in two parts?

Yes, Outer Banks season 4 is dropping on Netflix in two parts, and part 2 will arrive on November 7. While this isn't the same effect as watching episodes weekly, it still provides time for fans to talk about their theories, and even rewatch the first part before the second premieres!

What is the release date for Outer Banks season 4?

Outer Banks Season 4 Part 2 Release Date

Outer Banks season 4 part 2 will premiere on Netflix November 7. Part 1 is available to stream now.

How many episodes are there in Outer Banks season 4 part 2?

Part 2 will have five episodes, meaning Outer Banks season 4 will have 10 episodes total. Here are the part 2 episode titles!

• “The Town Council”
• “Mothers and Fathers”
• “Decision Day”
• “The Storm”
• “The Blue Crown”

Who's in the Outer Banks season 4 part 2 cast?

Outer Banks Season 4 Cast

The cast of Outer Banks includes Chase Stokes as John B., Madelyn Cline as Sarah, Madison Bailey as Kiara, Jonathan Daviss as Pope, Rudy Pankow as JJ, Carlacia Grant as Cleo, Drew Starkey as Rafe, and Austin North as Topper. We'll also see Fiona Palomo will star as Sofia, J. Anthony Crane as Chandler Groff, Pollyanna McIntosh as Dalia, Brianna Brown as Hollis Robinson, Rigo Sanchez as Lightner, Mia Challis as Ruthie, and Cullen Moss as Shoupe.

What's going to happen in part 2?

Outer Banks Season 4 Part 2 Plot

Outer Banks season 4 part 1 ends with Pope and Sarah trapped in a crypt, Cleo and John B. recovering from a fight with Lightener, and JJ reeling from the revelation his birth father is a Kook. So, needless to say, part 2 is starting off with a bang.

Jonathan Daviss promises we'll see “explosions, craziness, Pogue activity" when part 2 drops next month. "A lot going on the cliffhanger, a lot of revelations happening, those things will be continued to be explored," he tells The Hollywood Reporter.

“I think it’s an identity crisis in Part Two," Rudy Pankow says of JJ's discovery. “Like, who am I? Where do I stand? What kind of person am I now? Are my friends gonna judge me? And who do I look up to now? I think that’s how it’s going to play out.”

But Madison Bailey is certain that Kiara will be there for JJ no matter what. “They are two people who are so independent that that’s why they work together and just being themselves and giving the space for the other person to be themselves," she says. "So, as long as there’s never a hold-up on that, then I think they’ll be alright.”

What has the cast said about Outer Banks season 4?

Fans have been making JJ x Kiara edits to Taylor Swift songs since the show premiered in 2020, and Madison Bailey just revealed the ultimate Jiara song comes from Taylor Swift's The Tortured Poets Department: “‘But Daddy I Love Him,’ that’s literally Kiara,” she tells Elite Daily. “I think Kiara’s just trying to keep up, honestly. She knows her boy is crazy. And does she stand by him? Yes.”

Meanwhile one relationship that has yet to be healed (if it ever will be) is Rafe and Sarah. After their father's death at the end of season 3, Madelyn Cline is convinced Rafe blames Sarah. “I think she feels a lot of guilt," Cline admits to The Hollywood Reporter. "It’s all very heavy and way too heavy for just a single conversation. It’s something that has to happen over time.”

“I think [Rafe's] accepting some responsibility," Drew Starkey adds. "I think he realizes how alone he is, and he wants to mend bridges and build connections again. So yeah, I don’t think he’s ever been able to fully express [himself], and he’s still struggling to express that in a certain way.”

Who is JJ's real dad?

JJ's biological father is Chandler Groff, who married Wes Genrette's daughter Larissa. That means JJ has been a Kook this whole time — and he's related to Frances Genrette, the man responsible for Blackbeard's death.

Yes, Outer Banks is coming back for season 5, which will also be the last season of the show. "With a little sadness, but also excitement, we're putting Season Four behind us and turning to Season Five, in which we hope to bring our beloved Pogues home in the way we imagined and planned years ago," Josh & Jonas Pate and Shannon Burke say in an official letter. "Season Five will be our last season, and we think it will be our best yet. We hope you'll join us for one more paddle out to the surf break."

And the fact the creators have “always known from the beginning what the last scene would be”makes me more excited than ever.

The season 5 announcement comes after the seven-city Pogue tour that included Brazil; Seattle Washington; Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; Toronto, Canada; and Santa Monica, California. The cast revealed the show had been renewed for season 4 during last year's event.

Are there really assigned roles in friend groups or am I just imagining things?

Like I said before, it can seem like you and your friends unintentionally gravitate toward certain 'roles.' It's not like anyone woke up one day and decided, "I'm going to be the 'mother hen' of the group," but it tends to happen. Why?

Paruolo says, "In my clinical work, I've consistently observed that our friendship roles often mirror our early family dynamics. These patterns show up naturally — think about who in your friend group gets the first crisis call, who plans all the gatherings, or who everyone turns to for emotional support." I'm willing to bet you thought of a name for each scenario — including yours — because I know I did!

"Like in families, we each fall into specific roles that feel familiar to us," Paruolo further explains.

What actually makes someone an empathetic person?

There's so many definitions for empathy, but I thought it would be wise to ask a licensed professional for her opinion on the matter. "Empathy means to feel what others are feeling. You do not have to have a personal direct experience with something to feel empathy for another person," shares Paruolo.

For example, your friend could call to tell you she has to have fibroid removal surgery and is feeling scared. You may have never had surgery, but you could find yourself feeling the need to comfort her in spite of this. Paruolo says, "The cool thing about our brains is that we have mirror neurons, which means part of our brain is set up to feel what others feel. The ability to attune to others' emotional states comes naturally to some people, while others may need to develop this capacity more consciously."

To break it down even further, here's signs that Paruolo says point to your empathetic nature.

Physical Signs:

• Getting physically exhausted after being in crowds
• Feeling drained after social interactions, even enjoyable ones (OMG I feel so seen!)
• Needing extra time alone to recharge

Emotional Signs:

• Absorbing other people's emotions like a sponge
• Feeling anxious or overwhelmed in emotionally charged environments
• Finding it hard to watch violence or cruelty in movies/TV

Social Signs:

• Feeling responsible for others' happiness
• Having trouble saying "no" to people who need help

Mental Signs:

• Picking up on subtle changes in others' moods
• Being highly attuned to body language and tone
• Finding it hard to distinguish your feelings from others' feelings

It sounds like I'm the empathetic friend, but are there any downsides to this?

I've been an empath for as long as I can remember and I've found that I have to 'recharge' my social batteries at times. I thought it was because I was trying to be superwoman by fixing others' problems, but it turns out theres more to it than that. Paruolo says, "Empathetic friends and people have an uncanny ability to sense others' emotional states even when unspoken, and frequently need recovery time after intense social interactions. They tend to be deeply affected by others' experiences and naturally consider situations from multiple perspectives."

In the long run, she says it can be "distressing" for some people to always feel the feelings of others. Over time, she says, "it can cause you to shut down and retract." This can look like not being as quick to respond to the funny memes your friends send you or not even answering their phone calls right away.

But, this doesn't mean you're the only person who tends to go through this. "Many empaths struggle with maintaining boundaries due to their deep emotional attunement," she says. Color me guilty because this sounds so much like me. It got so bad at one point that my sister nicknamed me 'Captain Save-A-Lot,' which is actually the clean version of what she truly meant. Still, empathy fatigue is no laughing matter nor does it mean you're defected. You just have the natural ability to show people their feelings are important to you.

How can I protect my peace as the empathetic friend?

You know you need to set boundaries, but what does that mean? Paruolo says, "The key is understanding that empathy needs to be balanced with compassion - it's not just about feeling others' emotions but also knowing how to help without depleting yourself."

One of the things she loves to do is "encourage empaths to set clear boundaries around their emotional availability and make time for regular grounding exercises." As with gratitude journaling, try to focus on an activity that calls for you to be present. Focus on what you can hear, see, touch, taste, and smell.

"Self-care isn't just a luxury; it's essential maintenance for empaths. This might mean scheduling alone time, finding a supportive therapist, or joining communities where you can process your experiences," Paruolo implores.

I know how to be there for others, but how do I ask for emotional support when I need it?

You may feel like it's impossible to ask others for help since your shoulders are the ones people cry on, but you're only doing yourself a disservice by not speaking up. No one's super resilient or able to handle all of their distressing feelings alone. We're not meant to.

It's the reason Paruolo wants you to speak up about what you need. "The most effective approach I've seen is being direct about your needs rather than hoping others will figure them out," she says. I made this mistake during postpartum and found myself expecting my family & friends to know exactly how I felt, but they're not mind readers. The more I verbally asked for help with little or big tasks, the more my mental and emotional load lightened.

Paruolo wants you to look at "asking for support as strengthening your friendships through trust and vulnerability, instead of waiting until you're overwhelmed." By the time you reach that point, you'll be ready to enter rage or full-blown shut down mode and they're not fun.

Avoid unlocking their proverbial doors by scheduling "regular check-ins with trusted friends," suggests Paruolo. "This creates a sustainable support system and helps prevent emotional crisis points.