Here's everything we know about why the beloved series is ending after season five.
The Duffer Brothers' Quotes About "Stranger Things" Ending
On Feb. 17, 2022, the Duffer brothers shared in a heartfelt open letter on Instagram that "Stranger Things" would end after season five. "Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for 'Stranger Things,'" they wrote. "At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you'll see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; season 5 will be the last."
In other words, "Stranger Things" is naturally coming to an end from a storytelling viewpoint. If this note is anything to go by, the creative force behind the global hit series is gearing up to go out on a high, and we can't wait to see it all unfold.
Shawn Levy's Quotes About "Stranger Things" Ending
Shawn Levy, a "Stranger Things" executive producer who's directed several episodes, echoed the Duffer brothers' sentiments, stating that the decision to end the show after season five had been mapped out far in advance. "It feels like the organic lifespan of this particular story with these particular characters, and we want to stick the landing, and we don't want to overstay our welcome," Levy told The Wrap in April 2022. "So we have a clear vision and plan, always led with clarity of voice and vision by the Duffer brothers." He added that season four was created with the season five ending in mind, noting that the Duffer brothers "have had a sense of how they wanted to wrap this up for a while, and that informs season four."
The "Stranger Things" Cast's Quotes About the Show Ending
Like the audience, the cast's first reactions to "Stranger Things" ending was one of shock and sadness, but Brown, who plays Eleven, has since come to terms with the upcoming final season. "'Stranger Things' takes up a lot of time to film and it's preventing me from creating stories that I'm passionate about. So I'm ready to say, 'Thank you, and goodbye,'" she told Glamour Magazine in an interview published on Oct. 16. However, she added that she will, of course, remain friends with her costars: "When it ends, I'm going to be able to still see these people."
Although it took some time for Brown to get to this realization, Schnapp revealed the cast's emotional reaction to news of the final season during his March 2022 appearance on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." Schnapp told Fallon that he read the official letter that was put out by the Duffer brothers at the same time as the rest of the world. "So they put out this letter, and it was like, 'The show's ending, that's it. This is the beginning of the end.' And I read it, and I was just bawling. I was so upset," he said. When Schnapp reached out to his costars, he found them in a similar emotional headspace. "I texted Millie . . . and she was like, 'You're crying, too?' Like, 'So am I.' And then she texted Gaten, who also plays Dustin, and he was like, 'I'm crying, too.' And then we all texted the Duffers, and we were like, 'This is so sad. Like, I can't believe this is over.' And they were like, 'You guys gotta stop texting us. Like, I know it's over, but we have time left.'"
