Stranger Things Season 5 Trailer Sets Vecna on a Rampage

For four seasons, the freaks and geeks of Hawkins, Indiana have been exploring the hellish Upside Down lurking beneath their town. In season 5, the evil that rules the Upside Down is coming to the Rightside Up.

The first trailer for Stranger Things season 5 shows Vecna on the loose, and it doesn’t look like Hawkins will survive. In the climactic moment of the trailer, the veiny, viney big bad of the Stranger Things franchise strides through the burning remains of a miltary installation and draws poor Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) toward him. “You are going to help me,” Vecna declares; “One last time.”

Of course, the trailer isn’t all doom and gloom. It also contains the expected glimpses of beloved characters, such as Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) sporting a Hellfire Club shirt and Erica (Priah Ferguson) looking ready for action, but most of the images promise a big battle. We see Mike (Finn Wolfhard) rallying his friends Will, Dustin, and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin)—along with big sister Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and her friends Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Steve (Joe Keery)—to find Vecna “and end this.” Most importantly, we see a bearded, gun-toting Hopper (David Harbour) heading into a military base with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) by his side. That is, until she uses her telekinetic powers to leap over a fence.

Unsurprisingly, the trailer is filled with grandiose tones, including a bombastic and symphonic version of the series synth theme. But it’s hard to argue that Stranger Things hasn’t earned a sense of self-importance. What creators the Duffer Brothers began in 2016 as an homage to Stephen King novels and Wes Craven movies has grown into a genuine cultural phenomenon. Not only has it launched or accelerated the careers of stars such as Harbour and Brown, as well as supporting cast members Maya Hawke and Joseph Quinn, but Stranger Things has been a steady source of fan excitement, equal to Lost or the MCU in their heyday.

Part of the show’s success comes from strong casting. The young stars, supported by veterans such as Winona Ryder and Paul Reiser, have helped create a likable group of characters, teenagers who have to navigate the usual foibles of adolescence along while also dealing with an apocalyptic threat that the show has taken four seasons to reveal.

If the trailer is any indication, the threat has made itself fully known. And now all that’s left is the final battle. Netflix clearly knows the expectations that fans bring to this last season, which is why it’s eschewing the usual binge model. Volume 1 of season 5 will drop on November 26, releasing four episodes with run times ranging from 58 minutes to nearly an hour and a half. The next three episodes will release on December 25, while the finale will drop on December 31. Moreover, that last episode will also play in theaters that same day, and will be available through January 1, 2026.

Will the all that anticipation be worth it? We’ll find out when Hawkins launches its last stand against Vecna.

Stranger Things season 5 premieres on Netflix on November 26, 2025.