It's almost here. After years of waiting, Stranger Things season 5 is set to hit Netflix. But the streamer has already been pretty up front about chopping the final season into three parts (or Volumes), so your expectations on when to watch new Stranger Things episodes might have been flipped Upside Down.
To help you avoid the mind-flaying confusion, we've put together an essential guide on everything from the Stranger Things season 5, episode 1 release date to get you started all the way through to that New Year's Eve finale in cinemas. Yes, Hawkins is hitting the big screen too this year. There's also news on episode counts, streaming times (including a bleary-eyed start for those in the UK), and much more.
Stranger Things season 5, episode 1 release date: what time is Part 1 on Netflix?
Stranger Things season 5, episode 1 releases on Netflix on November 26 at 5:00 PM Pacific/8:00 PM Eastern alongside the rest of Volume 1 (more on that below).
In the UK, the Stranger Things season 5 premiere is out on November 27 at 1:00 AM GMT.
For what that means in your region, be sure to head on over to the time zone converter.
Stranger Things season 5 release schedule: when are new Volumes out?
Stranger Things season 5 has a peculiar release schedule to say the least.
The final season is split into three volumes: Volume 1 (consisting of four episodes) hits Netflix on November 26.
Volume 2 follows on December 25 with three episodes, including two directed or co-directed by Shawn Levy.
Finally, Volume 3 (titled 'The Finale') is released on December 31.
Here's what the full Stranger Things season 5 release schedule looks like:
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 1 ('The Crawl'): November 26
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 2: November 26
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 3: November 26
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 4: November 26
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 5: December 25
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 6: December 25
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 7: December 25
- Stranger Things season 5, episode 8: December 31
Stranger Things season 5 episode count: how many Volumes are there?
There are eight episodes in Stranger Things season 5, stretched across three Volumes.
That number matches both the first and third seasons of the show, but lags behind seasons two and four's nine episodes. We imagine the runtime of this season will surpass any prior season, however. Volume 1's runtimes have been confirmed, with the fourth episode clocking in at 83 minutes.
Where to watch Stranger Things season 5
All episodes of Stranger Things season 5 will be available to stream on Netflix, no matter what tier of membership you currently hold.
But, wait, there's more! As confirmed by Netflix, screenings of the final episode will take place across 350 theaters in the US and Canada starting from 5:00 PM Pacific/8:00 PM Eastern on December 31, with more showings happening on January 1.
Need to know what else is hitting streaming soon? Here's our guide to what's new on Netflix in December 2025.
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