Stranger Things

season 5 gets a new tease from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who promises lots of emotion. Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the hit fantasy-horror show returned for season 4 in 2022, continuing the story of Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven and her friends in Hawkins, Indiana, as they face off against the evil forces of the Upside Down. Now, nine years after it premiered, Stranger Things season 5 is set to bring the show to an end at some point this year, wrapping up the stories of all the main characters.

In a recent interview with Variety, Sarandos reveals that he knows exactly how Stranger Things season 5 will wrap up the story, and he teases that it will be an emotional experience for audiences. While he doesn’t reveal any specifics, the executive says the final season will be a “thrill ride.” Check out his full comment about the show’s final season below:

“The final season of Stranger Things is a thrill ride, but an emotional thrill ride. There won’t be a dry eye. I do know how it ends.

“I think Stranger Things is a big universe. You see it in novelizations of the story and the characters, you see it in consumer products, you see it in the live stage show, which is a prequel to Stranger Things, which is playing hugely successfully on the West End now, and it’s going to be opening on Broadway in a few months.”

What Sarandos’ Tease Means For Stranger Things Season 5

Cast Members Have Hyped The Intense Emotion

Sarandos’ comments come as Stranger Things cast members continue to share just how emotional an experience it has been to say farewell to the hit show. Max Mayfield actor Sadie Sink recently talked about her final days filming, telling Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast: “And then the final day happened. It’s like, oh, this is messy. So yeah, it’s difficult, for sure.” In an interview with Collider, Mike Wheeler actor Finn Wolfhard called the table read of the final episode an “unbelievably emotional” experience.

While much of the emotion for the cast undoubtedly stems from bidding farewell to their characters and their coworkers, it’s likely that the story itself for the final episodes features some emotional moments. Stranger Things has previously killed off characters like Bob Newby (Sean Astin), Alexei (Alec Utgoff), and Eddie Munson (Joesph Quinn), though it has thus far been hesitant to kill off main characters. With the Stranger Things season 4 ending keeping the door open for Vecna’s return, it’s possible a main character may not make it to the show’s end credits.

Our Take On Sarandos’ Stranger Things Season 5 Comments

Season 5 Has A Balance To Strike

Audiences have watched Stranger Things‘ child stars grow up to become young adults. Even if no major characters die in season 5, these are characters whose stories have now played out across dozens of hours, and it will certainly be an emotional experience bidding them farewell.

On top of the emotion that is sure to come, though, Sarandos’ comments about season 5 being a “thrill ride” are also important, and the Duffers have the challenging task of making sure the final outing also delivers when it comes to action. If Stranger Things season 5 can thread the needle and offer intensity, thrills, and emotion, it could end up being the best season of the show.

Source: Variety