NEED TO KNOW
Stranger Things may be over, but now fans are getting the story behind its finale.
On Monday, Jan. 5, Netflix announced One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5, a standalone documentary on the making of the franchise’s final installment. The project, directed by Martina Radwan, 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,” per a synopsis from the streamer.
It will feature insight from the Duffer Brothers, series creators and twins Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, who said in a joint statement that the documentary is for both fans of the show and anyone “curious how a major Hollywood production comes to life.”
“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,” the Duffers said in a statement. “We saw how stressed Peter Jackson was and thought: yep, that’s the dream.”
They added, “With the decline of physical media, that kind of behind-the-scenes storytelling has largely disappeared. 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.”
Niko Tavernise/Netflix
The trailer itself shows a few backstage glimpses of the cast reading their final lines, with Finn Wolfhard and Noah Schnapp visibly emotional. Narrating part of the trailer, the Duffer Brothers reflected on which line in the final script had the “biggest impact”: The closing words, “end series.”
The footage offers a behind-the-scenes look at the series creators navigating cast send-offs (“Is she really gonna go through with this?” they apparently say of Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven), workshopping storyboards and filming major action sequences. It closes on hugs, tears and the Duffers announcing that things are a “wrap” as filming concluded and confetti fell.
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Niko Tavernise/Netflix
In a statement of her own, director Radwan said she was grateful for the Duffers for “trusting me with a front-row seat to this incredible journey.”
“Spending a full year on set with them was a true privilege—and an absolute thrill,” she said. “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 through 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,” she added. “Their process and the show represents everything I love about filmmaking.”
The documentary is set to arrive on Netflix on Monday, Jan. 12 at 12 a.m. PT. Season 5 of Stranger Things is now streaming on Netflix in its entirety following the Dec. 31 release of the series finale.
