when are the final episodes of stranger things

Stranger Things Season 5, the final season, released its episodes in three volumes throughout late 2025, with the concluding parts dropping around the holidays. Volume 1 (episodes 1-4) premiered on November 26, Volume 2 (episodes 5-7) on Christmas Day December 25, and the finale (episode 8) on New Year's Eve December 31—all at 8:00 pm ET on Netflix.

Release Schedule

Netflix structured the drop to span the holiday season, building massive anticipation after years of buildup.

• Volume 1 (Episodes 1-4) : November 26, 2025, at 8:00 pm ET—perfect timing for Thanksgiving binges, kicking off the Hawkins crew's final battle against Vecna.

• Volume 2 (Episodes 5-7) : December 25, 2025 (Christmas Day), continuing the cliffhangers with titles like "Shock Jock" that pick up moments after Volume 1.

• The Finale (Episode 8) : December 31, 2025 (New Year's Eve), clocking in at about 2 hours 20 minutes for an epic close to the Upside Down saga.

This phased rollout kept fans buzzing through forums and social media, with theaters even screening the finale simultaneously in over 350 US and Canada locations starting December 31 at 8:00 pm ET (or 5:00 pm PT).

Episode Runtimes and Highlights

Most episodes run around an hour, but standouts like Chapter Four ("Sorcerer") hit 1:23 and the finale pushes feature-film length.

The Duffer Brothers locked these final cuts recently, teasing high-stakes reunions and world-ending drama that fans dissected endlessly online—from Reddit theories on Eleven's powers to TikTok reactions post-Volume 1.

Fan and Theater Buzz

Limited theatrical runs for the finale (through January 1, 2026) let superfans experience it "bitchin'" big-screen style, as the creators dreamed.

Trending Forum Vibes (pulled from recent chatter):

"Volume 1 cliffhanger had me screaming—Vecna's back harder than ever!" – Reddit user [, adapted]

"Christmas drop is genius, but that NYE finale? Party plans ruined lol." – Twitter threads

Some speculated earlier delays, but by December 2025, everything aligned for this holiday spectacle.

Where to Catch Up Now

As of late December 2025, all episodes are streaming on Netflix—rewatch Volume 1 for context if you jumped in late. Check ST5Finale.com for any remaining theater tickets.

TL;DR : Final episodes hit December 25 (5-7) and December 31 (8)—the end of an era is here.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.