‘Stranger Things’ Creators Tease “‘Return Of The King’-Ish” Series Finale With “Like Eight Endings”

Even though there was an incredibly long wait between Seasons 3 and 4, “Stranger Things” returned this summer to record-breaking success on Netflix. Now, with Season 4 in the rearview, all the talk surrounds the upcoming fifth season, which is set to be the series’ last. And the Duffer Brothers, the creators of “Stranger Things,” are already teasing a finale that is going to be jam-packed with endings. 

READ MORE: ‘Stranger Things’ Volume 2 Review: The Fourth Season Ends With A Bloated Bang

Speaking to EW, the Duffer Brothers teased what’s to come in Season 5 of their Netflix series. Yes, that includes super-sized, feature-length episodes as we saw in Season 4, but one thing that will be different is the premiere episode. While it’ll still be long, don’t expect the final season to take its time. 

“For the first time ever,” Matt Duffer said, “we don’t wrap things up at the end of [Season] 4, so it’s going to be moving. I don’t know that it’s going to be going 100 miles an hour at the start of 5, but it’s going to be moving pretty fast. Characters are already going to be in action. They’re already going to have a goal and a drive, and I think that’s going to carve out at least a couple hours and make this season feel really different.”

And though the filmmakers are confident they know where the final bit of the story will take them, they’re less certain about what happens exactly in the episodes that lead to the finale. That said, the Duffer Brothers aren’t going into Season 5 of “Stranger Things” without a clue of what’s to come.

“It’s dangerous as a writer to be writing hours and hours and not know where you’re going,” Ross Duffer explained. “I’d rather leave some of that middle journey vague and fuzzy.”

READ MORE: Duffer Brothers Tease Secretive ‘Stranger Things’ Spinoff Is “Different Than What Anyone Is Expecting”

He added, “But so long as you know where that destination is, it sort of gives you that clarity. It’s like that lighthouse blinking in the distance … while a lot of Season 5 is actually pretty blurry, the last 30 minutes of it are pretty clear in our heads. So if we can make the journey entertaining, I think that we have an end that will hopefully satisfy. You can’t satisfy everyone, but the hope is that it’s something that feels right for this story.”

So, what type of ending can “Stranger Things” fans expect? Well, how about multiple endings, a la Peter Jackson’s epic “Return of the King.” The Duffer Brothers said the finale will be “‘Return of the King’-ish” and will feature “like, eight endings.” 

Obviously, with an ensemble cast full of fan favorites, you have to expect that each will get their own moment in the series finale. Those who live, of course. 

“Stranger Things 4” is now available on Netflix. A release date for Season 5 is not known.