Will every episode of 'Stranger Things 5' be 2 hours long? Here's the truth behind those IMDb leaks
As excitement for 'Stranger Things' Season 5 reaches a fever pitch, a viral Reddit post has once again thrown fans into confusion. This time, over a fake list of episode runtimes that appeared to confirm every chapter of the final season would run over two hours. As per PopRant, the post quickly gained traction on the 'r/StrangerThings' subreddit under the title "Are these real?" It featured what looked like an official IMDb screenshot. But as it turns out, the entire thing was fabricated. IMDb, as many users soon pointed out, is open to public edits, meaning anyone can alter details like episode titles, release dates, and runtimes.
Within hours, eagle-eyed Redditors debunked the viral image, revealing that similar fake "runtime leaks" have circulated multiple times over the past year. In this latest version, the hoaxer recycled an old screenshot, slightly tweaking the episode titles and durations to make it look convincing. This isn’t the first time 'Stranger Things' fans have been swept up by false leaks. Earlier this year, a separate rumor claimed the final episode would be a sprawling three hours long, backed by an allegedly "official" production watermark. That, too, was proven false when series co-creator Ross Duffer clarified that while the finale would be feature-length, it wouldn't stretch anywhere near that mark.
Speaking about the fake runtime frenzy, Ross Duffer called the two-hour-per-episode rumor "not even close to accurate." He explained that the new season was designed to emphasize pacing and momentum rather than drawn-out episodes or filler. He confirmed that only two episodes, including the finale, would be film-length in scale. Netflix and the Duffer Brothers have since released the official runtimes for Volume 1, which drops on November 26. According to verified listings, the first batch of episodes will range between 54 and 83 minutes, nowhere near the bloated two-hour claims that sparked online debate.
The first episode, "The Crawl," clocks in at 1 hour and 8 minutes, followed by "The Vanishing of…" at 54 minutes, according to Forbes. "The Turnbow Trap" runs 1 hour and 6 minutes, while "Sorcerer," the only extended episode in Volume 1, lasts 1 hour and 23 minutes. Volume 2, releasing December 25, will continue with three episodes of varying lengths, before culminating in a grand finale on December 31, which is expected to run just under two hours. Though not every episode will hit movie-length runtime, the Duffers have teased that the final season will feel like "eight blockbuster films" due to its massive scope, emotional intensity, and cinematic visuals.
As the countdown to Hawkins' final chapter continues, fans should be cautious about believing every supposed "leak" that circulates online. With production details closely guarded and speculation running rampant, misinformation is likely to keep surfacing until the premiere. At the end of the day, 'Stranger Things 5' won’t be defined by its runtime, but by the story it tells. So no, every episode isn't two hours long, but if the Duffers' track record is anything to go by, they’ll make every minute count.