The Steve and Dustin duo might be the most prominent element of the latest Stranger Things trailer, but it’s hardly the only set of familiar faces we see. Where previous promotional materials for the ultimate season had reemphasized the threat of the monstrous Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower), leaving the Upside Down to conquer the town of Hawkins, Indiana, this final trailer goes back to the primary appeal of the show. More than anything else, Stranger Things is about a bunch of characters we like, hanging out together.
So while we do get glimpses of Vecna’s attack and adult characters such as conspiracy theorist Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman) or military scientist Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton), most of the trailer focuses on the kids. We get Mike (Finn Wolfhard) inspiring old pals Dustin, Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), and Will (Noah Schnapp). We get exciting images of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) and Nancy. We get wry replies from newer additions to the friend group Robin (Maya Hawke) and Erica (Priah Ferguson).
Certainly, the happier vibe owes largely to the fact that Netflix is releasing the final season of Stranger Things in three different chunks, and this trailer only highlights the first four episodes, collected as volume 1. Volume 3 will collect the next three, with the finale releasing as a stand-alone on January 1. As the show heads to its ending, the bad times will surely come.
But until then, we’re on a roller-coaster ride of fun, and Steve and Dustin are driving.
Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 releases on Netflix at 8pm EST on November 26, 2025.
