Sorry, Stranger Things season 5 isn’t likely to make its Netflix debut in 2024

It’s going to be a long wait for a return to Hawkins

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After a long delay,Stranger Thingsseason 5 will finally start filming in January 2024, according toVariety.

Last Friday (December 8), the news outlet suggested the hitNetflixshow’s final entry will enter full production after the US holiday season. Variety’s sources note, however, that an official start date hasn’t been settled on yet, so it’s unclear when the cameras will start rolling.

Still, news that principal photography onStranger Thingsseason 5will be up and running shortly is going to be music to the series' devote fanbase. Almost 18 months have passed sinceStranger Thingsseason 4 part 2 was released on Netflix – that was on July 1, 2022 to be precise – and long-time viewers are desperate to see how one of thebest Netflix showswill end with its fifth and final season.

Unfortunately, audiences have had to wait much longer than anticipated for the final installment ofStranger Things' mainline show.

The 2023 writers and actors strikes delayed production for much of the year, with script work only restarting in late September after Writers Guild of America writers agreed the terms of a new deal following protracted negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Pictures and Television Producers. The Screen Actors Guild strike drew to a close in mid-November, thereby allowing filming to continue on in-development movies and TV shows, as well as others – includingStranger Things5 – to put plans in place to finally enter full production.

Even with its January 2024 filming start date,Stranger Things' last season won’t be ready for release next year. It’ll be many months before filming on season 5 is complete, and that’s before its considerable post-production phase – the process of editing, the addition of visual effects, sound mixing, and more – gets underway. In short: don’t expect a return to Hawkins on one of the world’sbest streaming servicesbefore early 2025 at the very earliest.

Disappointing as that sounds, we’re not completely in the dark over other elements concerningStranger Thingsseason 5.

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At Netflix Tudum 2023 in June, Netflix confirmed that it hadadded a majorTerminatorstar toStranger Things5’s starry cast. That announcement followed two big reveals in November 2022, withStranger Things5 teased to be the deadliest season yetand the confirmation ofseason 5 episode 1’s title, which sparked four big theories among our writers.

The launch of the franchise’s first spin-off – a stage play titledStranger Things: The First Shadow– also meansStranger Thingsmight be about to hit the big Marvel and Star Wars problem. That makesThe First Shadowa must-see production beforeStranger Thingsseason 5, in our view, though, we hope the play’sbig lore reveal will be addressed in the hit Netflix show’s final seasonfor anyone unable to catchThe First Shadowbefore it ends.

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As TechRadar’s senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You’ll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.

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