After a decade of supernatural battles, the Hawkins gang hangs up their dice; Millie Bobby Brown, Noah Schnapp, and the Duffer Brothers reveal the “tears and triumphs” of the series finale.
January 7, 2026: The lights have finally flickered out in the Byers’ living room. After a 10-year journey that redefined modern television, Stranger Things concluded its final chapter on December 31, 2025. The two-hour finale, titled “The Rightside Up,” delivered a bittersweet resolution that saw the destruction of the Upside Down and a tearful transition into adulthood for its beloved protagonists.
Following the premiere, the cast and the Duffer Brothers opened up about the emotional weight of saying goodbye.
The Final Table Read: “A Perfect Ending”
The cast described the final table read—where they read the script together for the first time—as an “unforgettable” experience that brought many to tears.
- Noah Schnapp (Will Byers): “I remember crying a lot. They really left nothing more to be told. Once I wrapped, I felt it was time to let Will go. I’ve made peace with it now, but the lessons I learned from him will stay with me forever.”
- Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven): “I cherish every second I got to spend with this character. The Duffers, Shawn [Levy], and the cast—they’ve taken care of us so well. I’m going to miss the best friends I’ve made more than anything.”
- Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry): “When I read my ending, I felt super, super emotional. Playing a character like that takes up a lot of brain space. Now that the finale is out, I finally feel like I’ve released him.”
The “Rooftop Scene”: A Collaboration with the Actors
One of the most talked-about moments in the 40-minute epilogue involves the “older teens”—Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Robin (Maya Hawke), and Steve (Joe Keery)—reuniting on a rooftop in the aftermath of the battle.
The Duffer Brothers revealed that this scene was a true collaborative effort:
- The Evolution: Initially, the script for the scene was only about 70% of what made it to the screen.
- The Improv: On the day of filming, the actors pushed for more specificity. This led to the inclusion of details about Jonathan’s life at NYU and Nancy’s ambitions at Smith College.
- Extended Cut: Matt Duffer teased that a version of this scene exists that is five minutes longer than the theatrical cut, featuring even more “Big Chill”-style banter between the group.
“We were sitting in the freezing cold, the sun wasn’t even up, and we just worked it out like a play,” Matt Duffer recalled. “It went from a good scene to a great scene because we listened to the actors who know these roles better than anyone.”
Closing the Door
While Sadie Sink (Max) described the filming of her final scenes as “surreal” and Finn Wolfhard (Mike) admitted to feeling “blank” after his final wrap, the consensus among the cast is one of profound gratitude.
The Duffers explained that the series finale was designed as a “full circle” moment, ending—as it began—with a game of Dungeons & Dragons, before Mike Wheeler literally and figuratively closes the door on his childhood basement.