Netflix has officially revealed the runtimes for the final four episodes of Stranger Things, and the numbers make one thing clear: the show is going out on an epic scale, both emotionally and in sheer length.

Netflix has confirmed the exact runtimes for the final four episodes of Stranger Things, signaling a truly monumental conclusion. The second half of Season 5 begins later this week, following the release of the first four episodes on November 26, 2025, just ahead of Thanksgiving. The final stretch is perfectly timed for the holidays, with three episodes arriving on Christmas Day and the series finale premiering on New Year’s Eve.

According to an Instagram post from Ross Duffer, the titles and runtimes for the final four episodes are as follows:

• Episode 5 – “Shock Jock” – 1 hour 8 minutes (68 minutes)
• Episode 6 – “Escape from Camazotz” – 1 hour 15 minutes (75 minutes)
• Episode 7 – “The Bridge” – 1 hour 6 minutes (66 minutes)
• Episode 8 – “The Rightside Up” – 2 hours 8 minutes (128 minutes)

While the Season 5 finale will be the longest episode of the season, it will not be the longest in the show’s history. The Season 4 finale, “Piggyback”, ran for 2 hours and 28 minutes. Still, both finales are feature-length, surpassing the runtime of films such as The Fantastic Four: First Steps, Moonlight, and the original Star Wars.

Stranger Things Closes Out 2025 With a Bang

Given its feature-length runtime, Netflix is giving the Season 5 finale a limited theatrical release. The episode will screen in more than 500 theaters across the U.S. and Canada, with showtimes beginning on December 31 at 5:00 p.m. PT / 8:00 p.m. ET, coinciding with its global premiere on Netflix. The theatrical run will continue through January 1, 2026.

Stranger Things first premiered on July 15, 2016, quickly becoming a worldwide phenomenon. Season 2 followed in October 2017, Season 3 arrived on July 4, 2019, and Season 4 debuted in two parts in 2022. The wait for Season 5 has been lengthy, with three years passing since the previous finale and nearly nine years since the series began.

Expectations are high as fans wonder whether Stranger Things can deliver a satisfying conclusion, or if its ending will face the same backlash as Game of Thrones, How I Met Your Mother, or Dexter.

Source: MovieWeb