Summary
- Harbour shared mixed feelings about ending Stranger Things, ready for new acting challenges.
- Stranger Things season 5 premiering in three parts, with release dates at end of November and December.
- Fans have mixed reactions to three-part plan, eager to see Vecna's story conclude in final season.
Stranger Things season 5 is finally premiering in a few months, and David Harbour recently shared his thoughts on the end of his time as grumpy yet lovable Jim Hopper.
The cast of the hit Netflix series has shared stories about the emotional final table read, the moving experience of shooting the last eight episodes, and the bond they've created over the past decade. When Stranger Things arrived on the streaming service in July 2016, it quickly amassed a huge fanbase who couldn't get enough of the creepy Upside Down, Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) coming-of-age tale, and the new friends she makes once she gets to Hawkins, Indiana. Although the miniseries Adolesence took the number two spot on Netflix's popularity chart and pushed Stranger Things season 4 one spot down, there's no doubt that the fifth and final season is considered must-watch TV for everyone. While waiting to see how the story ends, it's fascinating to hear what each actor has to say, including Harbour, who has played such a significant role in the series.
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David Harbour Shared How He Feels After Stranger Things Season 5 Has Wrapped Up
When chatting with Scarlett Johansson for Interview Magazine in June 2025, David Harbour addressed the end of Stranger Things. When the actress asked if finishing the series is "a relief," Harbour compared his feelings when filming season 1 compared to what he thinks now. He said:
"When I started I loved it so much. Buddies of mine who’d done TV shows for many years said, 'By season three or four you’ll be running.' And I was like, 'Never! I love all these guys so much.' And then you get to a certain point where you’re like, 'How much more story is there?'"
Harbour continued that he's happy to move on to other parts of his acting career. He said:
"You’re having to play a lot of the same beat, and there’s a feeling where you’re like, 'I want to take a risk. I want to do something that people haven’t seen me do before.' So yeah, after 10 years, it’s like, 'Okay.'"
Many actors have shared a similar sentiment, whether they're saying goodbye to a long-running TV series or stepping away from a popular film franchise. Besides playing Hopper, Harbour has had many other notable roles. He played the friendly spirit in the 2023 Netflix movie We Have A Ghost and voiced Eric Frankenstein on Creature Commandos. Up next, he's reprising his role of Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian in Avengers: Doomsday, which will be in theaters on December 18th, 2026. Like the rest of the Stranger Things cast, Harbour has instant name recognition and can likely take on whatever projects he wants now, and it will be interesting to see what else he stars in.
While Harbour once said he thought Hopper should die on Stranger Things, he has remained a crucial part of the sci-fi series since the pilot episode. Besides taking in Eleven and showing her compassion, he has fallen for Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) and becomes fond of the other kids in Hawkins. Hopper will no doubt have a big role in season 5 and will help fight the evil in Hawkins, and hopefully, he and Joyce will end up together.
Stranger Things season 5 is premiering on Netflix in three parts on November 26th, December 25th, and December 31st, 2025. While fans are glad to know the release dates, some are upset about the three-part plan and wish that they could watch all the final episodes in one or two parts instead. However, some viewers are happy about the strategy and look forward to seeing the end of Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower) dark and evil story during the fall and winter holidays.
- Release Date
- 2016 - 2025-00-00
- Network
- Netflix
- Showrunner
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
Cast
-
Millie Bobby BrownJane 'Eleven' Hopper -
Finn WolfhardMike Wheeler
WHERE TO WATCH
- Directors
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer, Andrew Stanton, Frank Darabont, Nimród Antal, Uta Briesewitz
- Writers
- Kate Trefry, Jessie Nickson-Lopez, Jessica Mecklenburg, Alison Tatlock
- Creator(s)
- Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
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Source: Interviewmagazine.com