The Duffer Brothers and select stars tease what’s coming in the 2-hour-plus conclusion to the whole shebang.

Stranger Things series finale is ‘very large in scale’ and ‘starting at a sprint’: ‘We gotta go out in a big way’

The Duffer Brothers and select stars tease what's coming in the 2-hour-plus conclusion to the whole shebang.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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December 25, 2025 8:45 p.m. ET

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Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) on 'Stranger Things 5'. Credit:

Courtesy of Netflix

**Warning: This article contains spoilers from *Stranger Things* season 5, Volume 2.**

Buckle up, because now that Volume 2 of *Stranger Things* season 5 is out in the world, we're barreling towards the series finale on New Year's Eve. Based on what the showrunners and stars have to say about the 2-hour, 8-minute "The Rightside Up," the story is fully dialed up to 11.

"It's *Stranger Things*. We gotta go out in a big way," co-creator Ross Duffer tells ** in an interview with his creative partner and brother Matt Duffer.

While clarifying "The Rightside Up" isn't their longest episode of *Stranger Things*, Matt adds, "It's very large in scale, but I think it's more character-focused than any of the other episodes in the season. With the 2-hour runtime, you're able to do both."

The seventh episode of season 5, "The Bridge," served a specific function to set up the climactic events to come. The Hawkins gang gathered around to formulate a plan to break into the dark dimension known as the Abyss, rescue the kidnapped children, stop Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) from colliding that world into their own, and collapse the Upside Down (revealed to be a wormhole). Now it's time to put that plan into action.

Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, and Winona Ryder on 'Stranger Things 5'.

Courtesy of Netflix

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Ross explains, "What we really wanted to make sure we did this year with the penultimate episode was get the plan in motion so that episode 8 can start at a sprint as opposed to generally with our finales where they're building the plans and it's climaxing. This way, by just starting at a sprint, one, it's fun, but also it gave us more time on the backend to spend with these characters and wrap this up properly because we didn't wanna feel rushed at the end. We wanted to be able to take the time that we felt that these characters deserved."

A week earlier on Friday, Dec. 19, cast members who were present in New York City with the Duffers for press and a live event at the Paley Center gathered to screen the finale for the very first time. Those in attendance included Gaten Matarazzo, Finn Wolfhard, Charlie Heaton, Jamie Campbell Bower, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Maya Hawke, Caleb McLaughlin, and Noah Schnapp.

Ahead of this screening, Schnapp, who plays Will Byers, shares what he remembers filming that episode.

Linnea Berthelsen, Millie Bobby Brown, and David Harbour on 'Stranger Things 5'.

Courtesy of Netflix

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"Just at that point in the year being like, 'Oh my God, there's three months left!' 'There's two months left!' 'There's six weeks left!'...And that pressure. It felt like such a long year, it's hard work, and then you're like, 'I don't wanna let this go," he says. "So just making sure to be ultra present and being with the cast as much as possible, cherishing these friendships, giving the best work that you can do 'cause that's what you owe the Duffers and Netflix who gave you this opportunity, and the fans who give you the support."**

McLaughlin felt the finale was the biggest episode they've ever pulled off by the immensity of the sets alone. "I realized, this is a really big moment," he remembers from filming in Atlanta. "This is bigger than we've ever experienced."

Bower, like the Duffers, points to the setup for the finale in the penultimate episode. "It really puts us in a very strong place for what's to come in 8," he says. "I know that sounds kind of obvious, but the wheels fully come off in 8. Where we come back to in 8 is, yeah, it's a trip."

*Stranger Things* series finale "The Rightside Up" will premiere in select theaters and on Netflix beginning Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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