The Unlikely MVP Taking Over Stranger Things Season 5

File this under: did not have it on my bingo card. One of Hawkins' tiniest residents is about to matter a lot in the final season of Stranger Things.

So... Holly Wheeler?

Yep, that Holly. Matt Duffer told SFX Magazine (via GamesRadar) that the Wheeler family's youngest kid, played by twins Anniston and Tinsley Price, is moving from background curiosity to front-and-center. The plan for Season 5 shifts some of the attention to a younger group, and Holly is the face of that pivot.

'Holly will be a centerpiece.'
'Once you see the full season, you will have a better understanding of why it was so important to add her to the cast.'

Why put the spotlight on her now?

Duffer says the team wanted to tap back into Season 1's vibe — that mix of childhood wonder, mystery, and creeping dread — and you simply cannot do that without, you know, actual kids. The original crew is not really 'kids' anymore, so bringing Holly and her classmates into the story lets the show reintroduce that early-days innocence while still steering into the darker tone they are aiming for in the finale.

This was not part of a decade-long master plan

Interesting little behind-the-scenes wrinkle: this was not mapped out from day one. According to Duffer, Season 2 is when they realized the show would run for a while, and that is when they started breaking the mythology and sketching out the long game. As that framework evolved, character priorities shifted too. Holly becoming a centerpiece was something they discovered while breaking Season 5 — a reminder that they leave room for the story to change and grow as they build it.

Mark your calendar (three times)

Netflix is rolling out the final season in three drops, right across the holidays:

• November 26, 2025
• Christmas Day 2025
• December 31, 2025

Bold release strategy, and very on-brand for a show that loves a big finale.