Netflix has unveiled the trailer for the final episode of its hit series Stranger Things Season 5, showcasing Eleven preparing for the ultimate showdown against villain Vecna.
Titled “The Right Side Up,” this two-hour, five-minute finale marks the eighth and final episode of Season 5. For the first time, it will be released not only on Netflix but also screened in cinemas across the U.S. and Canada, with over 500 theaters participating.
Initial screenings began on New Year’s Eve, with more than 1.1 million fans already registered and 3,500 shows sold out across 620+ theaters.
Season 5 was released in two volumes: Volume 1 debuted with the first four episodes on Thanksgiving, while Volume 2, containing the next three episodes, premiered on Christmas.
The seventh episode revealed Max regaining consciousness and exposed Vecna’s plan to merge the Upside Down with a parallel dimension called the Abyss. The main characters must enter the Abyss to rescue abducted children and destroy this world using explosives.
Created nearly a decade ago by Matt and Ross Duffer, Stranger Things first premiered in July 2016 and quickly became a global phenomenon.
Subsequent seasons launched in 2017, 2019, and 2022 (Season 4, split into two parts). Inspired by the show, the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow has been staged in London’s West End and is now moving to Broadway.
The Duffer Brothers noted that the finale raises questions about Eleven’s fate—how she can survive while remaining a target of the military despite saving the world. This season explores her conflict between Mike’s optimism and Kali’s pragmatic, yet cynical, perspective.
Stranger Things has amassed over 1.2 billion views, cementing its place as Netflix’s most popular series to date.
