It’s been a long time coming, but Stranger Things is finally gearing up for its swan song. The fifth and final season of Netflix’s sci-fi phenomenon is set to roll out in three parts, beginning November 26, and according to a new report from Puck, the streamer spared no expense in giving Hawkins the send-off it deserves.
Industry insider Kim Masters reports that Netflix spent between $50 million and $60 million per episode, bringing the total cost of the season somewhere between $400 million and $480 million. That puts Stranger Things Season 5’s price tag above most major blockbusters — and even higher than the combined budgets of two average Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Despite being trimmed to eight episodes (down from nine in Season 4), the final chapter isn’t scaling back in any sense of the word. Each episode reportedly runs between 90 minutes and two hours, effectively turning the season into an eight-part cinematic event, which feels like… a lot.
The Duffer Brothers’ grand finale will bring the beloved ensemble back together for one last fight against Vecna, the monstrous villain who nearly destroyed Hawkins in Season 4. The official logline teases a dark and desperate 1987:
“Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished — his whereabouts and plans unknown.”
With the government closing in and Eleven forced back into hiding, the stakes have never been higher as “a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before” looms over the town.
Who’s in ‘Stranger Things’?
Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things is produced by Upside Down Pictures and 21 Laps Entertainment, with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen serving as executive producers. The returning cast includes Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, and Jamie Campbell Bower, alongside Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay.
Stranger Things Season 5 premieres in three parts — Volume 1 on November 26, Volume 2 on December 25, and the finale on December 31, 2025. However high the price tag may be, Netflix’s farewell to Hawkins looks set to deliver an ending worthy of its place in pop culture history.
via Collider