What Time Does the ‘Stranger Things’ Finale Come Out?

Are you ready for one final journey into the Upside Down? The fifth and final season of Stranger Things officially ends tonight with a super-sized, movie-length series finale that promises to conclude the Netflix hit on a high note.

Stranger Things first premiered all the way back in 2016. A little boy named Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) mysteriously disappeared on the same November 1983 night that another child, the super-powered Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), escaped from the Hawkins Research Lab. For five whole seasons, we’ve watched as Will struggled to escape the control of the Upside Down, El battled literal monsters, and their friends and family banded together to help. Stranger Things 5 has now revealed that Will also has powers, the Upside Down is actually a wormhole to another dimension, and that the villainous Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) wants to rebuild our world in the image of that other dimension.

When we last left our heroes of Hawkins, they had snuck into the Upside Down for one final battle. With the wormhole collapsing in on itself, the theory is they can use the local radio station’s tower as a bridge to get the kidnapped Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) and her classmates out of Vecna’s lair and into safety. Then, Eleven can destroy Vecna and the Upside Down for good. What no one knows, though, is that El’s sister Kali (Linnea Berthelsen) has convinced her that the two of them need to sacrifice themselves in the process to prevent Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton) and anyone else the government hires to hunt them and create more psychic child soldiers.

Stoked for the Stranger Things finale? Trying to time your finale watch to the New Year’s ball drop? Confused about what time zone you’re in? Here’s everything you need to know about what time the final episode of Stranger Things comes out tonight…

When Does the Final Episode of Stranger Things Come Out? Stranger Things Finale Netflix Release Date:

The Stranger Things finale comes out New Years Eve, aka Wednesday, December 31, 2025.

What Time Does the Stranger Things Finale Come Out?

The Stranger Things finale will be streaming on Netflix at 8 PM EST (or 5 PM PST) tonight, December 31.

As with all Netflix originals, the Stranger Things finale will hit the streaming service at the exact same time for the entire global audience. That means the exact time is determined by your time zone…

When Does the Final Episode of Stranger Things Come Out, By Time Zone:

Living in the continental United States and trying to figure out what time the Stranger Things finale comes out for you? Here’s what time Stranger Things comes out tonight, based on time zone:

• Stranger Things Eastern Time Zone Release Time: 8 PM
• Stranger Things Central Time Zone Release Time: 7 PM
• Stranger Things Mountain Time Zone Release Time: 6 PM
• Stranger Things Pacific Time Zone Release Time: 5 PM

How Long is the Stranger Things Finale? Stranger Things Finale Episode Runtime:

Netflix has already confirmed that the Stranger Things finale clocks in at a whopping 2 hours and 5 minutes! That’s 125 minutes in total.

That means, yes, you totally have time to watch the Stranger Things finale before the Times Square ball drops at midnight. In fact, if you queue up the Stranger Things finale at precisely 9:55 PM EST (or 6:55 PM PST), it will end when the ball drops!

How to Watch the Stranger Things Finale:

Stranger Things is a Netflix original, so you’ll need a Netflix subscription to watch the finale when it drops tonight.

Netflix offers three subscription plans to fit your streaming needs. The plans start at $7.99/month for standard with ads and go up to $24.99/month for unlimited ad-free streaming in up to 4K UHD quality.

That said, even if you don’t have Netflix, you can still catch the Stranger Things finale if you nab a ticket to one of the limited fan screenings happening at 500 movie theaters nationwide.

Stranger Things Finale Movie Theater Showtimes Near Me:

Want to say goodbye to Hawkins in style? There’s still time to secure your ticket to see the Stranger Things finale on the big screen.

Simply visit st5finale.com for a full listing of where and when Stranger Things finale screenings are happening near you.

Will There Be a Stranger Things Season 6?

Nope! Stranger Things 5 is the final season of the Netflix hit, meaning tonight’s Season 5 finale is the official end of the series.