Stranger Things set for final bow: five things to know

The hit science-fiction-horror series 'Stranger Things' returns on Friday with three new episodes from its fifth and final season, ahead of the grand finale on January 1. Shattering streaming records since it first hit screens in 2016, the Netflix show follows a group of teenagers in a small American town as they take on supernatural creatures and a parallel universe. Here are five things to know. - Star-studded cast - Stranger Things brought back 1980s icons like actress Winona Ryder, who earned a Golden Globe nomination in 2017 for her role as Joyce Byers. In another dose of 80s nostalgia, Robert Englund -- the actor behind horror icon Freddy Krueger -- made a cameo appearance in season 4. The series has also transformed the careers of its younger actors including Millie Bobby Brown, who rose to fame at just 12 years old. Now 21, the actress produces and stars in her own blockbuster films, such as the popular 'Enola Holmes' saga. Actor Finn Wolfhard, 23, who plays Mike Wheeler on the show, has found wider success with roles in both the 'It' and 'Ghostbusters' franchises. Speaking to AFP last year, Wolfhard said the cast wanted to give all the characters a 'proper send-off'. 'You try to find that balance of a huge ensemble and try to find the perfect ending for everyone.' - 1980s nostalgia - The Duffer Brothers, creators of the hit series, captured the spirit of 1980s classics like Steven Spielberg's movie 'E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial', the 'Nightmare on Elm Street' films and Stephen King's 'It' novel. Across five seasons, the characters take on supernatural monsters while dressed in baggy jeans, T-shirts and trainers. From Will Byers's bowl cut to Steve Harrington's tousled mullet, the show has given old-school hairstyles new life. Kate Bush's 1985 song 'Running Up That Hill', which is featured in the series, also topped UK charts in 2022 and reached one billion streams on Spotify the following year -- decades after its initial release. - An early Netflix smash - Nine years after it began, Stranger Things has become a global phenomenon. One of the most-watched shows on Netflix, it transformed the streaming giant into a cultural powerhouse. Each episode has an estimated budget of tens of millions of dollars, surpassing the production price tags of many Hollywood films. - Marketing masterclass - The success of its fifth chapter, which tallied nearly 60 million views at launch, is reflected in its presence in public spaces. Major retailers have dedicated corners to the show, such as HMV on Oxford Street in London or Galeries Lafayette in Paris. 'The series made me love the 1980s -- I watched it with my father, who lived through that era,' Pauline Lehobey, a 29-year-old veterinary assistant, told AFP in Paris, while holding a Demogorgon figurine. - Stranger Things universe - The show has made its way on to stages in London's West End and on Broadway with the play 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow', launched in late 2023. The prequel, set in 1959, explores the backstory of Henry Creel, also known as the villain Vecna in the show. Netflix has announced for 2026 an animated spin-off series set between the second and third seasons. A mystery novel centred around Mike's older sister, Nancy Wheeler, has also just been released.

Stranger Things set for final bow: five things to know

Netflix hit Stranger Things returns Friday with three episodes from its fifth and final season, ahead of a January 1 finale. The show wraps up its record-breaking run with familiar stars, heavy 1980s nostalgia, and an expanding franchise beyond the screen.