‘Stranger Things’ announces when it will end

(CNN) — The upside-down world of Eleven, Sheriff Jim Hopper and Hawkins, Indiana, is coming to an end.

“Stranger Things” — one of Netflix’s biggest franchises and most popular series — will conclude in season 5, the company announced on Thursday.

“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for ‘Stranger Things.’ At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons,” the Duffer Brothers, creators of the twisty science fiction series, wrote in a letter to fans. “It proved too large to tell in four but — as you’ll see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale.”

The news comes as Netflix announced that the next season of the series (season 4) will debut in two parts this summer. The first part will premiere on the service on May 27 and the second part will hit on July 1.

“With nine scripts, over 800 pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effects shots and a runtime nearly twice the length of any previous season, ‘Stranger Things 4’ was the most challenging season yet, but also the most rewarding one,” the Duffer Brothers wrote.

Fans have been waiting patiently for the return of the show, which last aired on Netflix in July 2019.

The end of the series will mark the end of an era for Netflix.

“Stranger Things” is arguably Netflix’s most important franchise and helped make it the top service in all of streaming. “Stranger Things” is more than just a TV show, however. It is a cultural sensation and a big business that includes video games, theme park attractions, fast food items and merchandising as well.

The show — which tells the harrowing tale of Midwestern kids who deal with monsters from a parallel universe — came out of nowhere when it first debuted in 2016. But it quickly gained a deeply devoted following.

The end of “Stranger Things” will be a big loss for Netflix, which is trying to make more of its series and films into franchises as it attempts to fend off rivals like Disney+. Many of Netflix’s competitors feature numerous familiar brands that get subscribers to sign up.

Although losing “Stranger Things” is no small thing for Netflix, the adventures into the upside-down are unlikely to completely end, according to its creators.

“There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of ‘Stranger Things;’ new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes,” the Duffer brothers said. “But first we hope you stay with us as we finish this tale.”

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The-CNN-Wire
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