The Stranger Things episode 'leak' that went viral

This article contains spoilers for episode titles of the final season of Stranger Things

Stranger Things is suitable for viewers aged 14 and older so should be watched with a parent if you are below that age group

Something is circling in Hawkins, Indiana. What that is remains unclear, but fans of the Netflix series Stranger Things are about to find out.

The final season of the 1980s-set sci-fi drama comes to an end this year, with the first half landing on the streaming service this week.

There has been a lot of speculation online about which characters will return in this fifth series - as well as the episode titles and, surprisingly - their length.

When will volume two of Stranger Things 5 be released?

The final series will be released in three volumes. They launch around the world at the same time, but when you can actually watch it depends on the time zone you live in. The first four episodes are now available to watch. The next three stream on Christmas Day in the US (Boxing Day here) and the finale arrives in America on New Year’s Eve but the time difference between the USA and UK means we'll get to see it on New Year's Day itself. Check the specific release times for these final volumes nearer the time in case you need to set your alarm clock!

How long is each episode of Stranger Things 5?

In July, a post circulated on Facebook that the eight episodes of this series would each be more than two hours long, with the shortest coming in at two hours and five minutes and the finale a whopping THREE hours.

Only, it wasn’t true. This was debunked by one of the most trusted sources possible: The Duffer Brothers. They created the series as well as writing and directing many of the episodes.

In an interview, they revealed that episode four is longer than most, at “an hour and 20 [minutes]” and that the final episode is longer than the others in the series, but coming in at two hours and not three.

What are the titles of the Stranger Things 5 episodes?

The information on the Facebook post may have been wrong about the episode running times, but it was fairly accurate with the episode titles.

Radio Times, a trusted publication, confirmed the eight episode titles and seven of them match with those on the social post. The only difference is in episode two, officially titled ‘The Vanishing of…’.

In the Facebook post, a character’s name was included in the title, although the whole title may not have been revealed to avoid spoilers.

Why were fake episode lengths posted on social?

It is unclear why the wrong episode lengths were posted. The creator of the post may genuinely have believed they were true, which makes this an example of misinformation.

When fake ‘leaks’ such as these are made, they can be picked up and shared by different people. When the number of people doing that grows, it can become viral, especially if it is posted on a platform with a large audience. Check out this Other Side of the Story guide to how fake news can spread. Some TikTok posters have also claimed to have seen episodes of the final series ahead of their official release. Comments on these posts from other users have suggested they are hoaxes, using clips from previous series and information from past storylines in the episode descriptions.

The genuine lengths of the first four episodes were shared on, among other platforms, the Instagram account of Ross Duffer, one of The Duffer Brothers. This is a verified account with almost 500k followers.

The conspiracy theory that inspired Stranger Things

The sci-fi ideas behind Stranger Things, such as Eleven having special powers, is said to be based on a conspiracy theory.

Conspiracy theories aren't exactly fake news, they're more a belief that a secret and powerful group is influencing some of the events in the world. In this case, The Montauk Project was said to be a series of experiments at a military base in New York, including tests involving time travel. A 1992 book on The Montauk Project claimed tests were carried out on children - similar to the Stranger Things scenes set in Hawkins Laboratory - a secret government facility.

There is no evidence to support any of the claims made about The Montauk Project. It was, however, enough of an inspiration for Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers to plan out a TV series called Montauk. That show was never made, but its ideas eventually became the basis for Stranger Things.

This article was published in November 2025

Not sure if the news you’re seeing on social media is true or false? Can you always tell if the things you see online are real or fake? Learn how to get the other side of the story with our quizzes, videos and explainers.