Stranger Things creators reveal “very emotional” reactions to ending scenes – as stars talk final goodbye

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Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things‘ often launches new seasons around big American holidays, like the Halloween setting of season two, complete with a spooky pumpkin patch, or the 4th of July fireworks in season three. Considering the final episodes aired during Christmas, fans were curious why the show’s creators hadn’t considered a dedicated Christmas special.

“Something along the lines of the Star Wars Holiday Special?” jokes Matt Duffer, one of the show’s creators, referring to the famously bad 1978 TV movie. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a Stranger Things Holiday Special. We weren’t sure when the show would be released while we were developing it.”

We chose a Christmas release because big movies traditionally come out around that time, and we wanted people to experience our film together. We hope it encourages families and friends to watch it as a group, rather than individually on their phones.

After a dramatic episode in late November, the next three episodes will be available on Boxing Day. The series finale, which is being kept completely secret from even the cast, will be released on New Year’s Eve. Plus, select American cinemas will be showing the final showdown between Eleven and Vecna.

Ross Duffer, who co-created the show with his brother Matt, said they’re glad fans won’t be able to spoil the final episode for others. He explained that releasing it globally at once means everyone can experience it together.

Honestly, filming the very end of the show was incredibly emotional. Matt told me they did something really special – they scheduled everyone’s last scene to actually be their last day on set. He said those days were tough, but it was especially hard for him and Ross. They had to go through that emotional goodbye over and over again, filming everyone else’s final moments! It sounds exhausting, but what a beautiful way to wrap things up.

The final episodes of the show were especially emotional for the original young stars. Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, and Caleb McLaughlin – who played Mike, Dustin, and Lucas – were saying goodbye to the roles they began as children. Starting the series in 2016 at just 13 or 14 years old, they are now in their 20s.

John McLaughlin shares that being on the show has shaped almost his entire life. He explains it’s been a huge influence on who he is as both an actor and a person, and represents a core part of his childhood.

Saying goodbye is always tough, but it’s a natural part of life. While it’s sad when something good finishes, that’s also what makes us appreciate it.

Wolfhard jokes that he didn’t shed a single tear during filming. He explains that with a year dedicated to shooting this series, and another eight years prior, it was a lengthy process of coming to terms with everything.

Will viewers react to the ending with the same strong feelings as the cast? Sadie Sink hopes so. “We really want fans to feel fulfilled,” she says. “This show is incredibly meaningful to us, and we’ve heard from many people that it’s special to them too. We expect a lot of tears as everything comes to a close.”

It’s a significant undertaking – five seasons represents over ten years of work that many people have dedicated themselves to, so it’s bound to be memorable and have a lasting effect.

The final season of Stranger Things will begin streaming on Netflix on November 26th. The remaining episodes will be released on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve.

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2025-11-25 15:07