Now that you’ve seen the Stranger Things crew embark on their final mission, watch how the epic final season came together in the upcoming documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5.
Premiering Jan. 12 only on Netflix, the film gives viewers an inside look at the years of effort and craft that went into the final installment of the Duffer Brothers’ generation-defining series.
“A decade after rewiring pop culture, Stranger Things returns for its final chapter,” the synopsis reads. “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things Season 5 is a sweeping behind-the-scenes chronicle that follows the cast, creators, and crew as they bring the final season to life — and say goodbye to the show that changed them forever.”
Martina Radwan (Girls State), who directed the film, tells Tudum, “I’m endlessly grateful to the Duffer Brothers for trusting me with a front-row seat to this incredible journey.”
She adds, “Spending a full year on set with them was a true privilege — and an absolute thrill. Being able to get close and watching them bring this beloved show to life in real time was pure joy. I only wish I could travel back in time and document Seasons 1-4. From the cast to their long-time collaborators, everyone welcomed me with remarkable generosity, openly sharing their personal and collective experiences from a decade of creative filmmaking. The Duffers always push boundaries and inspire everyone to be better, including myself. Their process and the show represent everything I love about filmmaking.”
The new trailer, which you can watch above, goes behind the scenes of pivotal moments from the final season and shows Matt and Ross Duffer tearfully addressing the cast and crew.
The Duffer Brothers note, “Growing up in Durham, North Carolina, we dreamed of becoming filmmakers — but Hollywood felt impossibly far away. Everything changed when we watched the behind-the-scenes documentaries for The Lord of the Rings — on-the-ground films that showed the real nuts and bolts of how a massive production actually gets made.”
“We saw how stressed Peter Jackson was and thought: yep, that’s the dream. With the decline of physical media, that kind of behind-the-scenes storytelling has largely disappeared,” the Stranger Things creators explain. “We wanted to bring it back. One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things Season 5 — beautifully captured and directed by Martina Radwan — is our attempt to do just that. If you love Stranger Things, or if you’re simply curious how a major Hollywood production comes to life, this one’s for you.”
In Stranger Things 5, our Hawkins heroes were united by a single goal: Find and kill Vecna. Ending the nightmare required everyone to stand together one last time.
While you wait to see how that final season was made, revisit all five seasons of Stranger Things, which are now streaming on Netflix. Then unpack those finale reveals with our ending explainer, dive deep into Episode 8 (“The Rightside Up”) with the Duffer Brothers, and find out where your favorite nerds landed after the dust settled.
Plus, learn how the Duffer Brothers nabbed two Prince tracks for the series finale and how Joe Keery chose the song for the end credits. And don’t forget to read up on why Winona Ryder delivers that devastating blow in the final battle, as well as Jamie Campbell Bower’s thoughts on Vecna’s fate.
