Netflix released the trailer for “One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5” on Monday, a behind-the-scenes documentary that follows the cast, crew and creators as they filmed the final season of the sprawling, 10-year series.
The doc will premiere on the streamer on Jan. 12.
The teaser opens with footage from the final scenes in the series: Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Will (Noah Schnapp), Max (Sadie Sink) and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) playing Dungeons and Dragons. “Writing the last lines that these characters would ever say was really hard to do,” one of the Duffer brothers explains in a voiceover. “But I remember more than anything writing ‘end series.’ Writing those two words, just having the biggest impact.”
The trailer also includes several shots of cast members crying, as well as the final scene featuring Mike shutting the basement door. It further suggests that the enormous stakes surrounding the process of ending a decade-long series will be thoroughly covered, and even hints that fans may get answers to their lingering questions.
“At the end of the day,” Matt Duffer says, “the audience cares most about the characters.” The pair also admitted the fate of Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) was debated, with Brown herself adding: “I’m not ready to let go.”
“Growing up in Durham, North Carolina, we dreamed of becoming filmmakers — but Hollywood felt impossibly far away,” Ross and Matt Duffer said in an additional statement. “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. 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.”
Director Radwan also said, “I’m endlessly grateful to the Duffer Brothers 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. 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,” she concluded. “The Duffers always push boundaries and inspire everyone to be better, including myself. Their process and the show represents everything I love about filmmaking.”
“One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5” hits Netflix on Jan. 12.
