Stranger Things season 5 part 2 has a frustrating release date — here's when the next episodes come out

Well now, Stranger Things is back and it's already sending the internet into meltdown. Netflix's most high-profile series ever returned from a three-year hiatus to kick off its final season in truly monumental style, with a new release format that saw the first four episodes unveiled during primetime hours in the US - the hours most commonly-associated with good old-fashioned TV. To say that it pulled the release off would be an understatement.

Hours later and the show has captivated audiences all over the world once again, highlighting the hold that this particular show continues to have (and how it never lost that hold in the years since its 2016 premiere). When you're locked in for an adventure in Hawkins / the Upside Down, you are guaranteed to get an unforgettable one. And as this is just the beginning for the final season, here's when you can expect the next installment of Stranger Things 5.

Stranger Things season 5 part 2 has a festive release date

Stranger Things season 5 Volume 2 is set to come out on none other than December 25 2025. Yes, that's Christmas Day, and yes, it will arrive at the same time as the first installment, with episode 5 premiering at 8:00 p.m. ET and 5:00 p.m. PT. Two more episodes will be released alongside it.

Netflix announced the unique release format for Stranger Things back at this year's TUDUM event when it unveiled the first look at the new season. At the end of that teaser came the revelation that season 5 would be split into three parts, which understandably received something of a mixed response. While fans love Stranger Things and the three-part drop certainly prolongs the final season, others weren't fussed about waiting three years for four episodes - only to have to wait another month for the rest.

The series finale will then be released on its own on December 31 at the same time as its predecessors (5:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. PT). That means that fans can spend the last few hours of the year in the US watching the final ever episode of Stranger Things. For audiences in other parts of the world (such as the UK), they will be spending the first few hours of 2026 watching it instead. The mystery of Netflix's new release format for the show!

The first volume of Stranger Things 5 was nothing short of jaw-dropping, so it goes without saying that fans are ready to consume the next episode. No, they are ready to consume all of the next episodes. And even though they will have to wait a little longer for the last one, you can bet that they are already counting down the hours to episode 5 / part 2's release just as Vecna counts down the hours until he claims his next victim.

With that in mind, here is the release schedule for Stranger Things season 5, part 1, 2, and the finale:

We're not ready to say goodbye to Stranger Things, but we're even less ready to wait a whole month for the next installment of the final season. Oh well, plenty of time to rewatch the whole series while we're waiting!