'Stranger Things' finale was 'written amid chaos'

Duffer brothers discuss Netflix pressure while finishing show's season 5

The creators of Stranger Things have reflected on the intense and challenging circumstances they faced while writing the show's final season, offering rare behind-the-scenes insight into the process.

In the new Netflix documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, Matt and Ross Duffer describe the pressure-filled final weeks leading up to the series finale.

According to the Duffer brothers, the writing of episode eight - the final installment of the Netflix hit - unfolded under unusually stressful conditions. Matt Duffer revealed that production and Netflix executives were repeatedly pushing for the completed script while the team raced against time. He described it as the most difficult writing environment they have experienced, citing the combination of creative pressure, high expectations, and constant external noise.

The documentary shows that filming began before the finale script was fully finished, a situation the creators admitted was highly unusual for them. Matt confirmed that while the ending was carefully plotted, it had yet to be fully written as cameras rolled. Set production assistant Montana Maniscalco also acknowledged that parts of the finale were shot without the full story finalized.

Cast members echoed the tension surrounding the final season. Actor Finn Wolfhard described the prolonged uncertainty as emotionally exhausting, noting that the cast spent months waiting to see how the story would conclude. The script for the finale was reportedly completed just days before the final table read in September 2024.

Stranger Things, which debuted on Netflix in 2016, became one of the platform's biggest global successes.