A few days ago, Netflix released some behind-the-scenes pics to mark the end of filming on the fifth and final season of Stranger Things. We don't have an exact release date yet, but by the end of 2025, the hit sci-fi series will be over.
Even for me, someone who's been watching the series since it premiered on Netflix back in 2016, it's a tad emotional. We've watched a lot of the cast members grow up onscreen as the show got bigger and bigger. And if fans are feeling that way, just imagine what the actors are going through.
Case in point: star Millie Bobby Brown — who plays the telekinetically gifted Eleven — posted some images from her time on the show, and ended with a video of herself tearfully reading a goodbye message to the cast and crew. Click all the way through to see the video:
"Isn't graduation supposed to bring relief, like you're glad to leave behind the teachers and classmates?" Brown asked. "Not me. I am nowhere near ready to leave you guys. I love each and every one of you, and I'll forever carry the memories and bonds we've created together as a family. I love you. Thank you."
Other cast members are also sharing their feelings on social media, including Finn Wolfhard (Mike)...
...and Noah Schnapp (Will):
Even back when the show first started, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer were talking about how they wanted to give audiences a sense of the passage of time as the young cast members got older as the plot went along. Now that we're near the end of the series, I think we can say they succeeded. Seeing the characters grow up along with the actors is a big part of the reason a lot of people are so invested in this show.
When last we saw characters like Eleven, Mike and Will, they were standing on the edge of disaster as the dark Upside Down dimension leaked through the veil of reality and into the sleepy small town of Hawkins, IN. The fifth season will take our heroes and throw them into a final clash with Vecna, who has learned to harness the power of the Upside Down for his own ends.
Once again, we don't know exactly when the final episodes will come out, but if filming is just now wrapping up, my guess is that we won't be seeing them until near the end of 2025.
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and Twitter account, sign up for our exclusive newsletter and check out our YouTube channel.