After nine years of supernatural mystery, small-town heartbreak, and world-saving heroics, ‘Stranger Things’ is preparing to close its portal for good. As Season 5 comes in two installments, Netflix is providing the popular sci-fi epic with the biggest and most emotional send-off in its history.
Yet, behind all the showmanship, the huge budget, the theatrical release of the finale, the worldwide marketing campaign, there is a very personal reason as to why the story is coming to an end now. And director Shawn Levy has finally come out to explain why Season 5 is not merely an ending, but the proper ending.
Shawn Levy On Giving ‘Stranger Things’ Fans A Closure They Deserve
When Shawn Levy first read the pilot script from “two unknown twin brothers,” he had no idea it would become a generational phenomenon. However, he did know one thing: the Duffers had a voice worth protecting. “The truth is that the main reason it feels right is I’ve had one North Star that I’ve followed since the day I read this pilot script from a couple of unknown twin brothers. This is what I’m here to champion, support, and help the Duffer voice and vision,” he told SR.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Promises The Most Violent Death In Netflix Show’s History
According to Levy, he and the Duffer brothers did not want to continue with the story for nothing. “None of us wanted to overstay our welcome,” he says. This is not what usually happens when a TV show reaches record-breaking success. However, to the Duffers, the idea of repeating themselves or extending the story simply because it was time to have another season was a betrayal of what ‘Stranger Things’ is meant to be.
Of course, the showrunners have known “for a while” how the story ends. Not just the plot, but the spirit of the ending. That clarity made everybody confident to stop after five seasons. It wasn’t a business decision. It was a storytelling promise. And Levy thinks Season 5 delivers on that promise. He calls the finale a great Duffer ending, big, emotional, and surprisingly revealing. It is the type of ending, he says, that answers the questions fans have held onto for years.
To viewers, one of the most fulfilling aspects of ‘Stranger Things’ has been watching the Hawkins kids grow. And Shawn Levy had a front-row seat the whole time. “They were always special,” Levy says, “but now they’re special with command of their craft.” That evolution is reflected in season 5. The scripts, according to Levy, provide the cast with material that requires more of them.
‘Stranger Things’ Rewrites Netflix History Before Season 5 Premiere
Although the series is about to come to an end, ‘Stranger Things’ is still making records. For the first time in Netflix history, all four previous seasons simultaneously re-entered the global Top 10 for English-language TV. Season 1 was ranked #3 worldwide. Season 4 secured #5, Season 2 placed at #7, and Season 3 followed at #9.
In case you missed it: Duffer Brothers Reveal They’re Building A “Very Different” ‘Stranger Things’ Spinoff
This revival indicates a huge rewatch phenomenon around the world before the release of the final season. From longtime fans refreshing their memories to new viewers discovering the show for the first time, ‘Stranger Things‘ has become a multi-generational phenomenon. Moreover, this is incredibly uncommon in the contemporary streaming landscape.
The figures are indicative of that effect: Season 4 is the third most-watched English season in Netflix history, having been watched for more than 1.8 billion hours. And Season 5 will take those records to new heights. As Part 1 comes out on November 26 and Part 2 comes out on December 25, the last chapter will be more than a binge; it will be a worldwide event.
