Stranger Things Season 5 First Five Minutes OUT: Peek into the night when Will Byers went missing in 1983, followed by encounter with Vecna | Watch
Stranger Things Season 5 makers have unveiled the horrifying first five minutes of the new season and gave a detailed look at what happened to Will Byers when he went missing that night in 1983.
Last Updated: 11.45 AM, Nov 07, 2025
Stranger Things fans are both happy and emotional as their favourite show returns with Season 5, but it will be the last time. Stranger Things Season 5 premieres with the first four episodes on Nov. 26, followed by three episodes on Christmas, and the much-awaited finale episode on New Year's Eve on Netflix. Ahead of the release and much to the fans' delight, the makers have unveiled the first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5, giving a peek into the night when Will Byers went missing in 1983.
Stranger Things Season 5 first five minutes
Fans who were expecting Stranger Things Season 5 to start where Season 4 left, were proved wrong because the makers just pulled off a new stunt. The makers unveiled the first five minutes of Stranger Things Season 5 and it showed the night in 1983 when Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) went missing. The teaser showed what happened to Will in the Upside Down world after his disappearance.
Hold your breath because the new season will again begin with the glimpse of the Upside Down and Will’s disappearance and his encounter with the Demogorgon. The first five minutes will take viewers back to November 12, 1983, six days after Will first vanished. The video opens with the 12-year-old Will Byers lying alone inside the Upside Down’s version of Castle Byers, with fear in his whole body. He can be heard singing 'Should I Stay or Should I Go,' the song, first introduced by his brother Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), in Season 1.
Will's encounter with the Demogorgon
While he is sitting inside the castle, a Demogorgon breaks through. He tries to resist it, climbing a tree, but the creature drags him away and takes him to Vecna's lair. Following this, Vecna appears, and he throws Will against the wall and says, “At long last, we can begin." Snaking one of the vines into Will’s mouth, Vecna continues, "You and I. We’re going to do such beautiful things together."
About Stranger Things Season 5
Stranger Things season 5 is the final season, featuring the opening of the rifts in Hawkins. The core cast returns to hunt the vanished Vecna, facing a military quarantine of the town and a powerful new threat. This season will explore themes of grief, character development, friendship, and sacrifice, and is expected to conclude by revealing the origins of the Upside Down.
Stranger Things Season 5 cast
Returning main cast: Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Noah Schnapp (Will), Sadie Sink (Max), Winona Ryder (Joyce), David Harbour (Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve), Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), and Maya Hawke (Robin).
Priah Ferguson (Erica), Brett Gelman (Murray), Cara Buono (Karen), and Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry) are also set to return.
Stranger Things season 5 will be released in three parts in late 2025: The first four episodes are slated to premiere on November 26, followed by three episodes on Christmas, and the finale episode on New Year's Eve.
FAQs:
Q: Will every episode of Stranger Things Season 5 be 90 minutes or longer?
A: No. Co-creator Ross Duffer confirmed that the final season will not exclusively feature full-length (90-minute or longer) episodes. The runtimes for the first four episodes range from 54 minutes to 1 hour and 23 minutes.
Q: What are the runtimes for the first four episodes of Stranger Things Season 5?
A: The announced runtimes for the first four episodes are:
Episode 1 (The Crawl): 1 hour and 8 minutes
Episode 2 (Title partially unrevealed): 54 minutes
Episode 3 (The Turnbow Trap): 1 hour and 6 minutes
Episode 4 (Sorcerer): 1 hour and 23 minutes
Q: When does Stranger Things Season 5 premiere?
A: The final season of Stranger Things will have a split release schedule. The first four episodes are slated to premiere on November 26, coinciding with the Thanksgiving holiday in the U.S.
Q. Is Stranger Things ending?
A. Yes, Stranger Things 5 will be the final series, and it will end on 1 January 2026.
Q. Who is the villain of Stranger Things 5?
A. The villain of Stranger Things 5 is Vecna, who lives in the Upside Down.