Stranger Things Season 5 first look dropped by Netflix

Well, this is totally unexpected.

Netflix has just treated fans to a generous first look at the upcoming fifth season of Stranger Things, something I don’t think any of us expected for a good few months yet.

Why? Well it appears that Stranger Things 5 is only halfway through filming, despite having been in production for what feels like an eternity.

It was back in 2022 that season four debuted, introducing us to epic characters like Eddie and Chrissy - only to subsequently tear them away again.

Of course, that was all down to the season’s big bad Vecna.

In the final episode, Will had an inkling that Vecna perhaps might still be alive as the Upside Down began to invade Hawkins.

Judging by this first look, Will was right to be wary. Something wicked this way comes.

Take a look at Stranger Things 5’s first teaser below.

The teaser, naturally, keeps a lid on spoilers but we do see plenty of Upside Down-esque tendrils adorning various sets.

I should add that this is the final season of Stranger Things, so we should see everything come together.

As Eleven actress Millie Bobby Brown points out, “I started when I was 10. I’m now turning 20 years old.”

This conclusion has been a long time coming, and it sounds as if the series is going out with a bang.

Already, we’ve been told to expect movie-sized instalments.

In this particular teaser, Season 5 is referred to as “the best season yet,” with Vecna/Henry Creel actor Jamie Campell Bower adding that Season 5 “feels bigger” than what’s come before.

Pitched as “the season that fans have been waiting for,” I’m so excited to see what it holds.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing in the way of a release date and with half of filming still to go, I’m doubtful we’ll see Season 5 land before the end of 2025.

We could even be looking at a 2026 release date.