"Stranger Things" season 5 is finally here.
The science fiction series has captivated audiences since it was first released in 2016. The series follows eerie happenings in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, in the 1980s, and a teenage friend group looking to uncover the town's mysteries.
Now, fans are wondering if questions about the mysterious Upside Down will be answered and if Vecna will finally be found and killed.
In a May interview with Netflix's Tudum, "Stranger Things" creators Matt and Ross Duffer discussed the 25-page "mythology document" the two assembled for Netflix during the show's first season, which they said explored the lore behind the Upside Down.
"The last remaining questions that are answered in that document, we've punted a couple of those to have some big reveals in season 5," Ross Duffer said at the time.
He added, "That's really going to affect what season 5 is about."
A synopsis for season 5, which is set in the fall of 1987, states, "Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts [created in season 4], and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished -- his whereabouts and plans unknown."
The synopsis continues, "Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding."
"As the anniversary of Will's disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread," the synopsis adds. "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."
The names of the "Stranger Things" season 5 episodes are as follows:
A teaser for the upcoming season was released July 16.
See the teaser below.
The fifth and final season of "Stranger Things" has a three-premiere roll out.
Volume 1, which will include the first four episodes, is available to stream now on Netflix.
On Christmas Day, Dec. 25, Volume 2 will premiere with the next three episodes.
The finale will arrive on New Year's Eve.
Each volume will be released at 5 p.m. PT.
The final episode of season 5 will not only be available to stream on Netflix, but it will also be shown in theaters for fan events on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1.
Netflix announced in a press release in October that it will bring the finale episode of "Stranger Things 5" to select theaters nationwide.
In a statement from the Duffer Brothers, shared in the press release, they said they are "beyond excited that fans will have the chance to experience the final episode of Stranger Things in theaters."
"It's something we've dreamed about for years," they added.
A photo shared by Netflix for season 5 revealed some of the cast members on set, including Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Charlie Heaton, Natalia Dyer, Brett Gelman, Priah Ferguson, Cara Buono, Amybeth McNulty and Jamie Campbell Bower.
Nell Fisher, Jake Connelly, Alex Breaux and Linda Hamilton are also joining as new members of the cast this season.
Ahead of the final season, some of the cast spoke with "Good Morning America" at the Los Angeles premiere, including Gelman, who plays Murray.
Gelman said the show's characters are what kept audiences drawn to the series over the years.
"I think the characters are so brilliantly written and acted that they have that type of familiarity in a way that makes people both identify with them and adopt them as their own," he said. "They're those types of iconic characters that feel like family.
Brown also shared a message for her younger, season 1 self.
"You're gonna have so much fun," she said. "Enjoy every single second of it. These are gonna be your best friends for life, and don't worry, your hair grows back."
"Stranger Things" season 5 wrapped production last December.
Ross Duffer reflected on the production in a touching Instagram post at the time.
"Everyone involved was determined to bring this story to a satisfying conclusion. They poured their hearts and souls into it, and we couldn't be more proud of what they've accomplished," he wrote.
Yes, the official "Stranger Things" play production "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" is officially on Broadway, having opened April 22, 2025.
"Stranger Things: The First Shadow" opened to rave reviews in 2023 on London's West End and recently won Olivier Awards in the best entertainment and best set design categories.
The show is set in the same location as the Netflix series -- Hawkins, Indiana -- in 1959 and centers on the younger version of some of the show's main characters.
Behind the scenes footage from the London production was captured in a Netflix documentary.
