The long, long wait for “Stranger Things” Season 4 is finally over — well, at least for Volume 1. Netflix debuted the first seven episodes of Season 4 on May 27, nearly three years after Season 3 premiered, but for the first time in the series’ history, the new season will be split into two parts, which means fans will have to wait to see which beloved characters make it through the biggest season yet.
Season 4 isn’t just the first to get a two-part release, it’s also the longest by far with nine episodes that are all over an hour long. In fact, the shortest episode of the new season is longer than all but one of the series’ previous episodes!
However, once you binge your way through Volume 1, you’re definitely going to want to know when you can watch the rest. Read below for everything we know about the “Stranger Things” Season 4 Part 2 release date, episode lengths and more.
When Is the Season 4 Part 2 Release Date?
Volume 2 will release on Netflix on July 1, five weeks after the premiere of Volume 1, so you may want to pace yourself as you make your way through those first seven episodes.
How Many Episodes Are in Volume 2?
There are only two episodes in the second batch, compared to seven in the first. However, the finale is the longest episode in the series’ history.
“[Episodes] 7 and 9 in particular are movies,” Matt Duffer recently told TheWrap. “And 9 is a long movie.”
Speaking to the overall extended length of the season (and those extended episode runtimes), Matt Duffer said, “A lot of it had to do with the fact that we had characters spread out in three locations and we had a lot more plot. It must be quadruple the plot we had in Season 3… That was our fun blockbuster season.”
How Long Are the Episode Runtimes?
“Stranger Things” Season 4 Volume 2 isn’t as long as Volume 1, but you’ve still got several hours to watch after you finish Volume 1.
Here are the exact runtimes for Episodes 8 and 9:
- Episode 8 – 1 hour, 25 minutes
- Episode 9 – 2 hours, 30 minutes
Watch the Volume 2 Trailer
Netflix snuck a brief teaser for Season 4 Volume 2 after the end credits of Volume 1, and they finally released it online as a part of “Stranger Things” day at Geeked Week. Get a sneak peak at the final two episodes below.
Is Season 4 the Last Season?
Despite its epic proportions, Season 4 is not the final season of “Stranger Things.” Netflix renewed the series for a fifth and final season in Feb. 2022, ahead of the Season 4 release.
“Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for ‘Stranger Things,’” Matt and Ross Duffer said in the renewal announcement. “At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll see for yourselves – we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; Season 5 will be the last.”
However, that doesn’t mean Season 5 will be the last “Stranger Things” story fans see. In the same release, the Duffer Brothers also hinted at potential spinoffs down the line.
“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 added. “But first, we hope that you stay with us as we finish this tale of a powerful girl named Eleven and her brave friends, of a broken police chief and a ferocious mom, of a small town called Hawkins and an alternate dimension known only as the Upside Down. As always, we are grateful for your patience and support.”
