Stranger Things Creators Address a Possible Season 5 Release Date

It's been less than a week since the final episodes of Stranger Things Season 4 debuted on Netflix, and while some fans are still reeling from the emotional fallout of the season finale, some are already looking ahead to when we could expect Season 5. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer recently weighed in on when audiences could expect a release date, though avoided giving any sort of time frame, instead emphasizing that they are more concerned with the quality of the final season than the speed at which it arrives. Previously, however, the filmmakers have confirmed that we shouldn't expect as long of a wait as there was between Seasons 3 and 4.

"It depends who you ask," Matt Duffer shared with Collider in regards to a target release date. "That's what we're still figuring out. If you ask our AD, and our line producer, they want more time for production. Our post-production supervisor wants more time for post-production. So it's going to be a big discussion. How long does everybody get? Here's the thing, the more you shorten production, the more you shorten post-production, the more things get compromised."

He continued, "It's just the balance of, 'Okay, how much are we willing to compromise to get the show out sooner? Is it more important to give everybody the time that they need to get this right, without being indulgent?' I'm sure we'll figure out what that line is, but my whole thing was I was never super worried."

The creators had never intended on taking quite as long of a break between these last two seasons, with production even starting in early 2020 before having to take a significant break due to the coronavirus pandemic. 

"Because of COVID, it would've been a two-and-a-half-year break between three and four, and then it turned into a full three-year gap," the filmmaker admitted. "I was never as worried about it as some people, just because we're '90s kids and I just grew up waiting at least a couple of years for movie sequels. If not longer. [We] want it as fast as possible, but as good as possible. Ross and I will always favor quality, I think. At the end of the day, I think it's better that it's good than that it comes out quickly."

Earlier this month, star David Harbour claimed that the rest of the year will be committed to writing the project, which could shoot in 2023, and potentially be released in 2024.

Stay tuned for details on Stranger Things Season 5.

Are you looking forward to the final season? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars.