When Stranger Things season 5 wrapped with its highly emotional eighth episode, fans weren’t ready to say goodbye to Hawkins — or the Upside Down. Almost immediately, theories began circulating online suggesting the Duffer Brothers had one final trick up their sleeves: a secret ninth episode allegedly set to drop January 7. (Wishful thinking? Absolutely. Did many of us believe it anyway? Also yes.)
Now, Ross and Matt Duffer are officially shutting down the rumors — while still leaving just a tiny crack in the door.
Amid speculation that season 5 wasn’t truly the end, the creators addressed the possibility of more Stranger Things episodes in an interview with Entertainment Tonight published January 2. And according to Ross, the finale really did mean what it said.
“I feel like this season really, truly does close the door on this story,” Ross explained, referring not only to Hawkins but “the story of the Upside Down and the story of these characters.”
Still, he couldn’t resist adding a little hope for fans who aren’t ready to let go. “I guess never say never,” Ross quipped, joking that a return could happen “in 20 years, if we’re all broke and need some money,” calling the idea his and Matt’s “safety net.”
For now, though, the Duffer Brothers are standing firm that the core story is complete — and the cast seems to agree. Finn Wolfhard, who played Mike Wheeler, previously shared his thoughts on returning to the franchise in the future.
“If there’s a story when we’re all in very, very different stages of our lives, maybe,” Wolfhard told Entertainment Tonight. “But I think that the whole point of the show ending is because it’s run its course.”
Netflix also appeared eager to put the ninth-episode rumors to rest. On January 7 — the date fans were convinced something big would happen — the streamer quietly updated the bios for Stranger Things’ official social media accounts to read: “ALL EPISODES OF STRANGER THINGS ARE NOW PLAYING.” Message received.
While that update effectively ended the so-called “Conformity Gate” theory, the Stranger Things universe isn’t disappearing entirely. Netflix is set to release One Last Adventure, a documentary chronicling the making of season 5, on January 12. And the Duffers have confirmed that two additional projects are still in development.
One of those is a live-action spinoff that will explore Henry Creel’s mysterious past. “The spinoff is going to delve into that and explain that, and you’re going to understand it,” Matt told Variety in an interview published January 1. “But it’s a completely different mythology.”
He added, “It’s very fresh and very new, but yes, it will answer some of the loose threads that are remaining.”
Whether those threads include lingering questions — like how the Hawkins crew avoided consequences after years of chaos, Hopper reclaiming his job, Max graduating after a coma, or how Vecna was defeated so easily — remains to be seen.
