[Watch] First 5 Minutes of ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Previewed

The first five minutes of Stranger Things season 5 give fans a chilling return to where it all began.

During a virtual watch party for the premiere episode, viewers were taken back to 1983, the year Hawkins was first shaken by the disappearance of Will Byers, played by Noah Schnapp.

The episode, titled “The Crawl,” opens deep in the forest of the Upside Down. Will is alone, terrified, and hiding inside a makeshift fort when he hears an eerie cracking noise. Suddenly, a Demogorgon appears, forcing him to flee through the forest. The creature eventually drags him into Vecna’s dark lair, where red lightning flashes above.

Jamie Campbell Bower’s villainous Vecna emerges from the shadows, approaching Will, who is wrapped in vines. “At long last, we can begin,” Vecna says, sending one of the vines into Will’s mouth. He continues, “You and I, we’re going to do such beautiful things together.”

After this terrifying opening, Vecna disappears, leaving the main characters scrambling. To make matters worse, the government has quarantined Hawkins under military control.

November 12, 1983. Watch the first 5 minutes of Stranger Things 5 now. pic.twitter.com/ZAxGaJc1Vv

— sƃuᴉɥʇ ɹǝƃuɐɹʇs (@Stranger_Things) November 7, 2025

According to the official synopsis, “As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming — and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before. To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone — the full party — standing together, one last time.”

Series co-creator Ross Duffer told Tudum that the fifth season wastes no time building tension. “We usually set up their normal life and how they’re going about school, and then we introduce the supernatural element,” he said. “But in this case, this season is sprinting from the start.”

Matt Duffer added that life in Hawkins is far from normal. “Nothing in Hawkins is normal anymore…their movement is restricted, and there are Big Brother cameras everywhere. So not only are they active — their everyday, normal lives are anything but.”

Fans can also expect a deeper dive into the Upside Down. The Duffer brothers have drawn on a 25-page mythology document they wrote back in season 1. Ross Duffer explained, “The last remaining questions that are answered in that document, we’ve punted a couple of those to have some big reveals in Season 5. And that’s really going to affect what Season 5 is about.”

The first four episodes of Stranger Things 5 will be released on November 26 at 5 p.m. PT, giving viewers the chance to see how the story unfolds from this intense opening.

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