The final episode of Stranger Things season 5 will be released on Netflix at 1am GMT on 1st January, bucking the usual 8am UK release time. The finale concludes the series after volume 2 dropped on Boxing Day (26th December) and volume 1 arrived on 27th November.
Creators Matt and Ross Duffer have assured fans that the ending will not be a 'Red Wedding situation', with many beloved characters dying. Matt Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I think some things happen in the finale that are very surprising, but we’re not trying to shock or upset anyone. I hope by the time people get to the end of the finale that it just feels like there’s something inevitable about what happens, and that it doesn’t feel painful but feels satisfying.'
The Duffer Brothers also told RadioTimes.com that 'there's a sense of inevitability' about the ending. Matt added: 'When you're looking at shows that don't work, or the endings that don't work, it is when it feels like sometimes the shows are trying too hard to surprise fans or do something different. So we want it to feel very much in line with the show and the endings for each of the characters to feel inevitable.'
Episode runtimes have been officially confirmed, though specific lengths were not detailed in the source. The finale is set to feature an almighty showdown with Vecna, as teased in a recent trailer.
