Netflix and the Duffer Brothers have revealed the running time for the first four episodes of "Stranger Things" Season 5, confirming that each installment in the initial volume will run between 90 minutes and two hours.

Volume 1, which consists of four episodes, is set to premiere on November 26 at 5 p.m. PT, giving fans a feature‐length experience more akin to mini-movies than traditional hour-long television.​​

The decision was reportedly made to extend the episode lengths, which reflects the scope and scale of the final season. With Hawkins facing its greatest threat yet and new mysteries emerging from the Upside Down, the series creators crafted expansive storylines that could not be contained within the tighter runtimes of previous seasons. As a result, episodes will range from roughly 90 minutes up to two hours, allowing for deeper character development and more elaborate set pieces.​

This move follows the precedent set in Season 4, where several episodes surpassed one hour and the finale clocked in at over two hours. Ross and Matt Duffer have described Season 5 as the culmination of a seven-year narrative arc conceived when the show first launched in 2016. The extended runtimes will give the Duffers room to tie up loose ends and deliver a fitting conclusion to the series.​

While rumors circulated online that episodes might reach up to three hours, co-creator Ross Duffer has dismissed those extreme figures as inaccurate. He stressed that although some episodes would approach film length, others in the season would fall closer to the 40- to 45-minute mark, calling them "micro-movies" that vary in duration depending on story requirements. Actor Finn Wolfhard echoed this sentiment, explaining that not every installment would be an epic running nearly two hours, but that the overall season would feature a mix of lengths tailored to each chapter's narrative weight.​

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The runtime for the first batch of episodes for the final season of Netflix' "Stranger Things" have been revealed. Stranger Things - Instagram account

Season 5 will be released in three parts: Volume 1 (four episodes) on November 26; Volume 2 (three episodes) on December 25; and a single-episode finale on December 31. The staggered schedule ensures that viewers have time to absorb the extended runtimes without binge-watching fatigue. Netflix has confirmed that all episodes will drop simultaneously worldwide at 5 p.m. PT on their respective premiere dates, though local time zones will vary.​​

With production budgets reportedly reaching $50–$60 million per episode, Season 5 has become one of the most expensive television projects in history. The longer runtimes for the first volume are a clear sign of Netflix's commitment to letting the Duffers execute their expansive vision, ensuring that the final season delivers the emotional and narrative payoff fans have awaited for years.​

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Stranger Things, Season 5, Netflix, Duffer brothers