Stranger Things Season 5 started releasing on November 26, 2025, but Netflix is releasing the final season in batches rather than all at once. The first four episodes came out on November 26, with the next three scheduled for release on December 25, and the last episode, which is the series finale, set to premiere on December 31, 2025. This staggered release schedule is likely planned to maximize viewership during the holiday season and extend excitement over the final season. The delays leading up to the release were due to several factors, including production pauses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, a lengthy writing process, the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, and the involvement of main actors in other projects. These disruptions pushed back filming and production, contributing to the longer wait for the season to be completed and released. In summary, Stranger Things Season 5 is not fully out yet because Netflix and the creators opted for a staggered release strategy with episodes spreading across late November, Christmas, and New Year's Eve, partly due to practical production delays and partly for strategic release timing.