A new video from Stranger Things season 5 reveals a look at the return of Max, along with new cast members. Stranger Things season 5 was first announced in February 2022, ahead of the release of the later-successful season 4. Since then, several cast members have been confirmed, including such returning favorites as Sadie Sink, following Max’s major cliffhanger, along with new cast member Linda Hamilton, whose role currently remains a mystery.

Now, a new Netflix video for Stranger Things season 5 reveals more about the final season of the hit show.

The trailer begins by stating that the team of Stranger Things season 5 is about halfway through filming. The video included a number of the main cast members going through costume closets and visiting the show’s set, including Sink, who will make her return after Max’s unclear fate in the previous season’s ending. Star Millie Bobby Brown also mentions that she “started when [she] was 10 and is now [turning 20 years old]“, while others teased that this season would “be the best season yet.”

Will Stranger Things Season 5 Be The Best Season Yet?

Stranger Things Season 5 Has A High Bar To Live Up To

Brown’s statement in the Stranger Things set video relates directly to a common complaint voiced by audiences against the universe. This complaint is that, because of Netflix’s delays, the main cast members have now out-aged their roles, with most of the central cast having been composed of pre-teens when the series began, including Brown. Now, those same cast members are not even teenagers anymore, vastly changing the energy and dynamic of the series. Despite this change, Netflix has previously confirmed that they will not use CGI to de-age the main cast.

While the video certainly builds the hype for Stranger Things season 5, it makes a bold claim in positing that the final season will be the best in the series. The last season has incredibly big shoes to fill, as the series overall has a 91% on Rotten Tomatoes. Season 4 had the lowest Tomatometer of any season in the franchise, but it still boasted a universally fresh 85% critics score on the site, with audiences also having enjoyed Stranger Things season 4, giving it an 89% approval rating.

For this reason, Stranger Things season 5 will have trouble living up to previous seasons. Adding in new cast members is likely the right move, as it will add enough new characters to the mix to draw attention away from the fact that the original four may look older than their intended age in the series. Even if Stranger Things season 5 does not have quite the same critical acclaim as the previous seasons, the season will likely be successful after season 4’s record-breaking run.