Stranger Things 5 is no longer just a TV show; for its final act, it is becoming a global cinematic event. As the 1987 Hawkins timeline reaches its breaking point, Netflix has finally pulled back the curtain on the stranger things season 5 release date and time. From a two-hour-plus finale to a historic theatrical rollout, here is exactly when the stranger things finale comes out and how the final battle against Vecna will unfold.
The New Year’s Eve Global Launch Schedule
Netflix is turning the stranger things finale into a global countdown event. For fans asking what time does the stranger things finale come out, the answer depends on your time zone. The final episode drops on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET. Because it releases at a single moment worldwide, many regions will actually ring in the new year with the show. Here is the stranger things release time breakdown:
| Region | Release Date | Local Time |
| United States (PT) | Dec 31, 2025 | 5:00 PM |
| United States (ET) | Dec 31, 2025 | 8:00 PM |
| United Kingdom (GMT) | Jan 1, 2026 | 1:00 AM |
| India (IST) | Jan 1, 2026 | 6:30 AM |
“The Rightside Up” – A Feature-Length Series Finale
The last episode of stranger things, titled “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up,” is officially the longest in the show’s history. If you’re wondering how long is the stranger things finale, it clocks in at 2 hours and 8 minutes. The Duffer Brothers are treating this stranger things season 5 episode 8 as a standalone stranger things movie.
This massive stranger things season 5 runtime is designed to provide “inevitable” endings for every character. While fans are anxious about who dies in stranger things season 5, Matt Duffer noted that the goal was to deliver a satisfying, earned conclusion that matches the weight of the last nine years.
Historic Theatrical Release in North America
In a first for the series, Netflix is bringing Hawkins to the big screen. The stranger things finale in theaters will be a historic event, screening in over 620 locations across the US and Canada. Starting on the evening of December 31, fans can experience the emotional reunions in a stranger things movie theater setting before the saga officially concludes.
Complete Season 5 Finale Runtimes
For those planning a New Year’s marathon, the final four episodes represent over six hours of content. Here is the breakdown shared by the creators:
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Episode 5: Shock Jock – 1h 08m
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Episode 6: Escape from Camazotz – 1h 15m
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Episode 7: The Bridge – 1h 06m
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Episode 8: The Rightside Up – 2h 08m
As Stranger Things season 5 comes to a close, the question of who died in Stranger Things season 5 will finally be answered. Whether you watch on Netflix or at a Stranger Things theater, prepare for an emotional “End of an Era.”
