The creators of Stranger Things have said they are willing to reveal what really happened to Eleven at the end of the series – providing fans are willing to wait 20 years. The show, which premiered in 2016, came to an end in December 2025, with its two-hour season five finale airing on New Year's Eve.
The final episode saw the heroic group of friends defeat the evil Vecna, but left the fate of central character Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) ambiguous. It is unclear whether she sacrificed herself to save her friends, and the other characters chose to have hope that she was still alive.
Speaking on Josh Horowitz's Happy, Sad, Confused podcast, series creators Matt and Ross Duffer said they will wait 20 years to confirm the ending. Ross Duffer quipped: “If we’re talking to you in 20 years about Stranger Things, [then] in 20 years.” He added: “I hope people still care [by 2046]. That would be great, and then I’ll say everything.”
In the interview, the Duffers acknowledged that some fans have interpreted a heartbeat-like sound at the end of the show as symbolising that Eleven is still alive. Matt Duffer said: “It is written in the script that it is supposed to sound like a heartbeat, but it’s actually just distorted. But yeah, you could interpret it as that.”
The Duffers also revealed they were surprised to learn that some cast members, including Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) and Sadie Sink (Max), have said they believe Eleven did not survive. Matt Duffer said: “They have never said that to me. I gotta talk to them. It’s just interesting that they all concluded that without talking to us, because that’s not what the characters believe.”
Two spinoff series are in the works: a live-action show exploring new characters and mythology, and an animated series titled Stranger Things: Tales From '85, which launched in April. The complete series will be released on physical media for the first time in July.
