‘Stranger Things’ Creators Shock Fans with Season 5 Production Secret Revealed

Stranger Things fans got a surprising revelation this week. Matt and Ross Duffer, the show’s creators, admitted in Netflix’s new documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 that they began shooting the fifth and final season without a finished script for the finale.

“We went into production without having a finished script for the finale. That was scary because we wanted to get it right. It was the most important script of the season,” Matt Duffer said in the documentary, which was released by Netflix on January 12.

The film shows the Duffer brothers debating key moments for Eleven in the final episodes. Ross explained, “The whole episode has to be building towards, ‘Eleven is going to kill herself.'” Matt worried that too many plot twists could exhaust viewers. In the end, they decided to “keep it ambiguous,” a choice that influenced how the season wrapped.

The documentary also captures emotional moments on set, including cast members saying goodbye after filming wrapped. The Duffers had previously discussed other finale plans, including a three-hour version of the final episode, Vecna switching sides, and a battle involving Demogorgons.

Stranger Things 5 was released on Netflix in two volumes and a finale. The first four episodes arrived on November 26, 2025, followed by three more episodes on December 25. The finale was released six days later, on December 31.

The season starred Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Brett Gelman, Priah Ferguson, Linda Hamilton, Cara Buono, Jamie Campbell Bower, and Nell Fisher. It received positive reviews from critics.

Season 5 picks up in Hawkins during the fall of 1987. The group faces a dangerous mission to stop Vecna while dealing with rifts in their town. Eleven is also hunted by the military, and the friends must unite for a final confrontation with a deadly new threat.

The season premiered at the TCL Chinese Theater on November 6, known as Stranger Things Day. Netflix even increased its streaming bandwidth by 30 percent for the premiere, but the site crashed shortly after.

The finale had a limited theatrical release in the U.S. and Canada starting December 31, with showings continuing into January 1, 2026. It was screened in 620 theaters, generating over $25 million in concession sales. Tickets were sold as vouchers instead of traditional admissions due to cast contract issues.

The Duffers’ admission about filming without a finished script shows how much risk went into bringing the series to a close. Fans have debated every choice, from plot twists to final character arcs, making this behind-the-scenes look a must-watch for anyone invested in Hawkins’ story.

It’s impressive that the show maintained its quality despite such high-stakes uncertainty. The Duffer brothers took bold risks to craft a satisfying finale. What do you think about them starting production without a final script? Share your thoughts in the comments.