Picture: Netflix
The news we’ve been waiting for is finally here: the Stranger Things season 5, volume 1, runtimes. The first four episodes of Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 range from 54 minutes to the grand finale of volume, which clocks in at 1 hour and 23 minutes.
The runtimes have been the subject of much rumor, reporting, and debate over the past few weeks and months. It’s been the subject of a massive misinformation campaign led by Netflix fanpages on Facebook, such as Netflix Updates run by Gamurs Group (which Ross Duffer came out and denied), and, in more recent reporting from Puck News, the series was rumored to have runtimes between “90 minutes to two hours long” per episode. It turns out that Kim Masters’ reporting over at Puck was also wrong.
In an Instagram post today, which we’ve shared via YouTube in the embed below, you can see Russ Duffer checking out the show on Netflix. As you may know, Netflix can grant “screeners” that display work-in-progress to talent and crew. Typically, this is only seen by the public if leaked by the press, who get early access to shows and movies for review purposes. Alongside the post came the caption, “ACTUAL runtimes ✌️”
In the video, which doesn’t feature artwork or descriptions, the runtimes are confirmed as follows:
- Chapter One: The Crawl – 1 hour and 8 minutes
- Chapter Two: The Vanishing of Holly Wheeler – 54 minutes
- Chapter Three: The Turnbow Trap – 1 hour and 6 minutes
- Chapter Four: Sorcerer – 1 hour and 23 minutes
That makes the total runtime for season 5 volume 1 exactly 4 hours and 31 minutes long. The Duffer Brothers previously said that Episodes 4 and 8 are the longest of the season, meaning Episodes 5, 6, and 7 will each run under 1 hour and 23 minutes.
Given the amount of misinformation floating around, it’s safe to say some fans are unhappy with the runtimes, since their expectations were set so high. In the comments, some wrote, ” I was kinda hoping for those 2 hr long episodes,” while another wrote, “That’s so short…”
Ross also replied to one of the replies who asked about the 90 minutes to 2 hours previously reported, saying, “Nope, not me. If info doesn’t come from me or Netflix, don’t trust it.”
Actor Randy Havens replied in the thread, tongue firmly in cheek, “Not sure I trust this. A website that gave me a virus told me they were all 90 minutes to 3 hours long.”
As a reminder, Ross Duffer has also taken to Instagram to tease each of the first four episodes, writing:
[Chapter 1] “The Crawl” is our favorite, most eventful first episode since Season 1.
[Chapter 2] “The Vanishing of…” (yeah yeah you think you know who blah blah) has by far the craziest cold open we’ve ever done. One of the sequences we’re most proud of this season.”
[Chapter 3] “The Turnbow Trap” is the most classic Stranger Things-y episode of the season. It’s got all our favorite things. Directed by one of our idols Frank Darabont (Shawshank! Green Mile! Walking Dead!) — who literally came out of retirement for this. He crushed it, obviously.
[Chapter 4] “Sorcerer” is MASSIVE — as big as any finale we’ve ever done, and the most logistically insane shoot of our lives. We’re still recovering.”
The news comes as Netflix continues to ramp up marketing for the final season, with even more product launches and collaborations slowly being announced, and Netflix is hosting a watch party every weekend, rewatching the older seasons, to mixed response. The show also got a teaser spot at the Emmys, where it was rated TV-MA, and at the end of September, new details surfaced about the final season.
While the video doesn’t confirm the age rating, it does state the following warnings for season 5: “Fear, gore, language, smoking.”
Stranger Things season 5 will release on Netflix across three premiere dates with Volume 1 on November 26 (four episodes), Volume 2 on Christmas (three episodes), and The Finale on New Year’s Eve. Each volume releases at 5 PM PT.
Rating: TV-MA
