‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Wednesday’: Future of Fan-Favorite Netflix TV Shows Confirmed

Netflix has officially set the release dates for Stranger Things and Wednesday—two of its top-performing shows, both returning in 2025. With the series impacted by the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in 2023, fans were left speculating about whether they’d see new episodes sooner rather than later. Now, the suspense is over, and audiences can prepare for the return of these two supernatural sensations in 2025, with Netflix holding its ground as the go-to platform for binge-worthy content.

On November 6, Netflix marked “Stranger Things Day” by dropping a tantalizing look at the upcoming fifth and final season of Stranger Things, per Variety. This celebration, in honor of the day in 1983 when Will Byers was taken into the Upside Down, revealed episode titles for what’s shaping up to be an unforgettable end to the Hawkins saga.

The lineup includes “The Crawl,” “The Vanishing of…,” “The Turnbow Trap,” “Sorcerer,” “Shock Jock,” “Escape From Camazotz,” “The Bridge,” and “The Rightside Up,” giving fans plenty to theorize over. Fittingly, the final episode, “The Rightside Up,” harks back to the first season’s finale, “The Upside Down,” suggesting a full-circle conclusion to the show.

In Stranger Things Season 5, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will (Noah Schnapp), and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) will once again take on the looming threat of the Upside Down and the sinister Henry Creel/One/Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), whose malevolent grip on Hawkins is seemingly not over.

Fan favorites like Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, and Sadie Sink as Max will also return. Known for its nostalgic ’80s vibe and layered storytelling, the show has captivated viewers with its blend of supernatural horror and coming-of-age drama, making this last season one of the most highly anticipated in recent memory.

Tim Burton’s Wednesday, another supernatural powerhouse for Netflix, is also slated for a 2025 return. Led by Jenna Ortega, who’s become a cultural phenomenon in her own right, Wednesday reinvented the Addams Family universe with a fresh, darkly comedic take. The first season broke records, becoming the most-watched English-language Netflix show in a single week, setting a new bar for engagement on the platform. Ortega’s portrayal of Wednesday Addams captured the hearts of millions, and her mysterious life at Nevermore Academy added layers of intrigue and dark humor that resonated deeply with audiences.

Season 2 is set to introduce an exciting cast of new characters, including Joanna Lumley, Haley Joel Osment, Christopher Lloyd, and Thandiwe Newton. With these fresh faces joining the cast, fans can expect the same macabre humor and suspenseful narrative as Wednesday digs deeper into the mysteries of Nevermore. Netflix promises that this season will feature extended, movie-like episodes similar to Stranger Things.

In a recent third-quarter earnings report, Netflix confirmed a blockbuster slate for 2025, boasting major returning series alongside new titles from some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry. The report highlighted, “So looking into 2025, you’ve got new seasons of our biggest shows: Wednesday, Squid Games, Stranger Things, on top of new shows from Shonda Rhimes and Ryan Murphy, a new Knives Out film from Rian Johnson, Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, even the return of Happy Gilmore.” Netflix has amassed over 280 million subscribers globally, maintaining its place at the top of the streaming world at a time when competitors like Disney+, Hulu, Max, and Paramount+ are vying for viewers.

As Stranger Things and Wednesday fans brace themselves for 2025, Netflix appears confident in the appeal of its flagship shows, each commanding loyalty from millions. These two releases, paired with the upcoming projects from an array of renowned filmmakers, secure Netflix’s status as a dominant player in entertainment.

What are your thoughts on the 2025 delay? Are you counting down the days to the next Stranger Things and Wednesday installments? Let us know in the comments below.