Stranger Things Season 5: Even Noah Schnapp Doesn't Know How It All Ends
Stranger Things is racing toward its finale — and even Noah Schnapp is still in the dark. In a new chat with Entertainment Weekly, the Will Byers actor says the cast hasn’t been shown how it all ends, teasing ever-rising stakes as the endgame looms.
Stranger Things is barreling toward its big goodbye, and here is a fun twist: the cast is being kept in the dark too. Even Noah Schnapp hasn’t seen how it all wraps up. That is both chaotic and, honestly, a pretty great way to keep spoilers from leaking.
Noah Schnapp is waiting for the finale just like the rest of us
In a recent chat with Entertainment Weekly, Schnapp (aka Will Byers) said the stakes keep climbing in Season 5 and he’s already been wrecked by what he’s seen. But the very end? Netflix isn’t letting the actors watch it early.
"The stakes just keep getting higher and higher, and the show — you are not ready. I just watched 5 and 6, and I was sobbing. It’s so good. And then the finale, they’re not gonna show any of us, so I won’t see it until the world sees it and I’m just as excited as you guys are."
When it drops and how Netflix is rolling it out
The fifth and final season starts November 26, 2025 on Netflix and plays out as a month-long release event that runs through December 31. After nearly a decade of monsters, malls, and metal riffs, this is the last ride in Hawkins.
Will Byers steps back into the spotlight
From day one, Will has been the character with the creepiest connection to the Upside Down, and Season 5 is circling back to that. The Duffer Brothers told Variety that Will is the emotional core this time, and that his story doesn’t just revisit his past — it grows him up. Translation: Will isn’t just the protected kid anymore; he’s driving the story.
That lingering link to Vecna hasn’t gone anywhere either. A recent teaser includes a line that is… not subtle about what Vecna wants:
"William, you will help me. One... last... time."
Given how tied Will is to the Upside Down, it would not be shocking if he ends up both the solution and the price. That is speculation, but the show has been quietly building to something like that since Season 1.
What’s next beyond the finale
Season 5 closes the book on Eleven, Will, and the Hawkins crew. Ross Duffer said as much in an interview at the Variety Showrunner Award event (via Parade), making it clear there isn’t a Steve/Dustin buddy spinoff or anything that rewrites their ending. The universe, however, is not shutting down — it’s branching out.
- Final season: Stranger Things Season 5 begins November 26, 2025 and concludes its rollout on December 31, 2025.
- Animated spinoff: Stranger Things: Tales From '85 lands in 2026. It is set in the winter between Seasons 2 and 3, promises fresh mysteries and new monsters, and leans into that old-school '80s cartoon vibe. Matt and Ross Duffer are producing with Eric Robles.
So yes, more stories in this world are coming — just not more adventures with the original team. New corners of the Upside Down, new characters, fresh nightmares.
Where to watch right now
Stranger Things is currently streaming on Netflix.