‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Gets Three-Part Release, Series Finale Set for New Year’s Eve

'Stranger Things' Season 5 Gets Three-Part Release, Series Finale Set for New Year's Eve

It's the beginning of the end for Netflix's "Stranger Things." The streamer revealed the release date for the fifth and final season of the mega hit show, created by the Duffer Brothers, and it's coming in three parts: the first debuting Nov. 26, the second Dec. 25, and the series finale Dec. 31. More from Variety 'One Piece' Casts Mikaela Hoover as Tony Tony Chopper; Netflix to Release Season 2 in 2026 Netflix and Brazilian Tourism Board Embratur Announce Cooperation Agreement to Boost Film-TV Tourism in Brazil Netflix Showrunners Talk Shop and Compare Notes on the Art of Pitching The entire cast is back for the three-volume "Stranger Things" Season 5: Winona Ryder as Joyce Byers, David Harbour as Jim Hopper, Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven, Finn Wolfhard as Mike Wheeler, Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin Henderson, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas Sinclair, Noah Schnapp as Will Byers, Joe Keery as Steve Harrington, Sadie Sink as Max Mayfield, Natalia Dyer as Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Jonathan Byers, Maya Hawke as Robin Buckley, Brett Gelman as Murray Bauman, Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclair and Jamie Campbell Bower as Vecna. "Terminator" star Linda Hamilton is also joining the cast in a mysterious role. "Stranger Things" Season 4 premiered back in summer 2022 in two parts, released separately in May and July. The episodes were supersized — all over 60 minutes, and the final episode of Part 2 was more than two hours long. It ended with an all-out battle against the evil Vecna and the Demogorgons in the Upside Down, where the beloved newcomer Eddie Munson (Joseph Quinn) sacrificed himself to save the gang. Vecna is weakened in the aftermath, but remains powerful enough to spread the Upside Down into Hawkins. Everyone in the main cast survives, but Max is left in a coma after Vecna controlled her body. In a cover story withVariety, Sink was especially cryptic when talking about how she filmed Season 5. "They love having me run," she said, perhaps referencing the viral "Running Up That Hill" song from Season 4. "That's all I'll say." "She's going to play a part in the season," Matt Duffer said. Ross Duffer added, "But we don't want to reveal how that's possible." "Right, because she's in a coma," Matt says. "I think she's grown just more confident as an actor and in her choices. We did film a scene the other day with her that was just absolutely heartbreaking. I don't know how she hits those notes." Watch the teaser for "Stranger Things" Season 5 below. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in June 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 31, 2025

‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Gets Three-Part Release, Series Finale Set for New Year’s Eve

'Stranger Things' Season 5 Gets Three-Part Release, Series Finale Set for New Year's Eve It's the beginning of the end for N...

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I Have a Major Theory About ‘And Just Like That’ Season 3—and OG ‘Sex and the City’ Fans Are Gonna Love it

I Have a Major Theory About 'And Just Like That' Season 3—and OG 'Sex and the City' Fans Are Gonna Love it

In one of the fastest new season turnarounds in recent memory,And Just Like That…is back with season three—and things are off toa slow but totally solid start. The first episode ofAnd Just Like Thatseason threeis alreadystreaming on Max(Or HBO? Or HBO Max? I dunno,ask Jean Smart). So far, Carrie is doing long-distance with Aidan, Miranda is sleeping with a very familiar looking nun, LTW has a Michelle Obama quandary,Seemais serving up a Hollywood movie ending on a dilapidated pier and Charlotte…well, she has another dog plotline. But what will happen next?! After watching the first episode of the new season, I have a prediction—and I think fans of the originalSex and the Citywill like my theory. Craig Blankenhorn/Max As the credits rolled (and Carriedidn'thave a voiceover saying, "And just like that…"—more on this in a minute), I couldn't help but wonder, are we finally getting back to the show's roots? My theory: This season will be the closest one yet to the OGSex and the City. I have a few reasons to think this. First of all, the new characters are much more solidified now. We know them. We love them. We aren't confused as to why Carrie is spending so much time with her realtor anymore. In a great way, for the first time, we aren't introducing major new characters. Like with the original series, the new faces we meet (like Rosie) are clearly guest stars who will provide minor storylines at best. And while the new season three gang stands at five members instead of the original four, this feels much more manageable—and much more likeSATC—without usalsohaving to follow Che and Nya (and too much of Anthony's plotline) as well. This, plus the absence of any life-altering events like a spouse's death, makes the whole thing feel much more episodic, likeSATC. Craig Blankenhorn/Max And finally, the end of the episode seems to hint that we're getting back to our roots in a big (but not Big) way—albeit with a twist. No more podcast. No more trying to force Carrie into some career she was never intended for. Carrie sits down at her laptop and begins to type, complete withSex and the City-esque voiceover.And, we ditch Carrie saying, "And just like that…" as her final line (although she does slip it into dialogue in the middle of a convo with Anthony earlier—TBD ifthatbecomes a thing this season). Seeing Carrie back at her laptop, after an episode free of deaths or wild twists or new characters or too many characters is refreshing. It takes me back to why I fell in love with the series and the characters in the first place. The one big twist with the laptop though? Carrie doesn't write in the first person. Her text (and voiceover) says, "The woman wondered what she had gotten herself into." The woman?! At least this is a Peloton-free twist I can get on board with. Here's to more ofAnd Just Like Thatfeeling likeSex and the City!New episodes air Thursdays on Max. 16 Shows and Movies to Watch This Weekend, Recommended by Our Editors

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 31, 2025

I Have a Major Theory About ‘And Just Like That’ Season 3—and OG ‘Sex and the City’ Fans Are Gonna Love it

I Have a Major Theory About 'And Just Like That' Season 3—and OG 'Sex and the City' Fans Are Gonna Love it In one of the fas...

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North Korea deploys mystery balloon-like objects to stricken warship, satellite photos show

North Korea deploys mystery balloon-like objects to stricken warship, satellite photos show

New satellite images show North Korea has deployed what appear to be balloons alongside its damaged 5,000-ton warship that has been laying on its side and partially submerged since a botched launch last week. While the purpose of the objects is unclear, experts told CNN they could be used to help get the ship back upright, or protect it from the prying eyes of drones. The stricken destroyer was the country's newest warship and was meant to be a triumph of North Korea's ambitiousnaval modernization effort. Instead, a malfunction in the launch mechanism on May 21 caused the stern to slide prematurely into the water, crushing parts of the hull and leaving the bow stranded on the shipway, state media KCNA reported, in a rare admission of bad news. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who witnessed the failed launch in the northeastern city of Chongjin, called it a "criminal act" and ordered the country to swiftly repair the as-yet-unnamed ship before the late-June plenary session of the ruling Workers' Party, calling it a matter of national honor. Officials have since scrambled to undo the damage and punish those they claim are responsible,detaining four peoplein recent days, including the shipyard's chief engineer. Analysts say it appears balloons are being used in North Korea's effort to swiftly repair the destroyer. "It looks like what appear to be balloons have been installed not to refloat the ship, but to prevent the ship from further flooding," said Rep. Yu Yong-weon, a South Korean National Assembly lawmaker and military analyst. Retired United States Navy Cpt. Carl Schuster said if the objects are indeed balloons, they could have one of two purposes – either to prevent "low- to mid-level drone reconnaissance," or to reduce the stress on the part of the ship still stranded on the pier. "That is the area that is most likely to have been damaged, suffered the most severe damage and remains under intense stress while the forward area remains out of the water," he said. Nick Childs, senior fellow for naval forces and maritime security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said North Korea could be in danger of further damaging the ship if it's using balloons to keep it afloat or raise it. "It is highly likely that the ship is under quite a lot of stress anyway," and lifting from above could compound those stresses, he said. Normal procedure would be to get as much buoyancy as possible in the ship and then raise it from below, Childs said. According to satellite images shared by Maxar Technologies, more than a dozen white, balloon-like objects have been deployed around the destroyer since May 23. Based on the objects' shape and what appear to be tail fins, they could be smaller versions of what are known as aerostat aircraft, balloons with a slight resemblance to dirigibles, defense experts told CNN. Like blimps, dirigibles get buoyancy from a lifting gas that allows them to float in air or in water. The images don't appear to show any flotation bladders supporting the hull or the body of the ship, Schuster said – something the US might use in such a situation. He added that North Korea's maritime industry might not be advanced enough for such techniques. North Korean state media had previously reported that the damage was less severe than initially feared, and that there were no holes in the hull, though it was scratched along the side and some seawater had entered the stern. It estimated repairs could take about 10 days – though analysts are skeptical. Schuster had previously told CNN that repair work could take up to six months, depending on how far the hull damage extends, how much water entered the warship, and how much "salt crust" might have formed on metal surfaces such as joints. The ship's precarious position also makes the salvage operation unusually complex. "Having it half in and half out of the water is basically the worst possible situation," said Decker Eveleth, an associate research analyst at CNA, a nonprofit specializing in defense research. He added that the operation would be simpler if the ship had fully capsized into the water, or if it had fallen over entirely on land. "But as it's half on land and half on water – if you try to pull the sunken half out, you're risking twisting and breaking the keel," Eveleth said, referring to the structural spine running along the ship's bottom. "And if you do that, the whole ship is junk." Childs said North Korea may have to cut the ship into pieces and then try to salvage what it can because righting it from its current position is an extremely complex task. "Very often the only way you clear the dock … is to dismantle at least part of the ship to make the operation easier, right what you have left and tow it away and make a decision on whether you rebuild it or scrap it," he said. CNN's Jessie Yeung contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 31, 2025

North Korea deploys mystery balloon-like objects to stricken warship, satellite photos show

North Korea deploys mystery balloon-like objects to stricken warship, satellite photos show New satellite images show North Korea has deploy...

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Joni Ernst posts sarcastic apology video following comments that 'we all are going to die'

Joni Ernst posts sarcastic apology video following comments that 'we all are going to die'

U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst posted a sarcastic apology video following a viral moment when she told a town hall audience member that"we all are going to die"in response to concerns over Medicaid cuts. The Iowa Republican's original comments came at a town hall in Parkersburg on May 30, while she was answering a question about cuts to Medicaid inPresident Donald Trump's tax packagethat the Senate is poised to consider. During Ernst's answer, someone in the audience interrupted her to shout, "people will die!" Ernst replied by saying, "People are not — well, we all are going to die. For heaven's sakes, folks." The comment instantly drew national attention and received widespread condemnation from Democrats who have criticized the impact of the potential Medicaid cuts. Ernst posted a video to her Instagram story May 31 where she spoke directly to camera, apparently from a cemetery. "Hello everyone. I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize for a statement that I made yesterday at my town hall," she began, before describing the incident. More:What's in Trump's big tax bill? Here's what you need to know. "I made an incorrect assumption that everyone in the auditorium understood that yes, we are all going to perish from this Earth," she said. "So I apologize. And I'm really, really glad that I did not have to bring up the subject of the tooth fairy as well. "But for those that would like to see eternal and everlasting life, I encourage you to embrace my lord and savior, Jesus Christ," she added. More:'Don't know how we will survive': Medicaid cuts could put this group of mothers in peril The Congressional Budget Officeestimates that Trump's tax bill will reduce federal Medicaid spendingby $723 billion over a decade and could increase the number of uninsured people by 7.6 million. At the Parkersburg town hall, Ernst said the goal of the bill is to make sure that people who are not eligible for Medicaid benefits don't receive them. "What you don't want to do is listen to me when I say that we are going to focus on those that are most vulnerable," Ernst said. "Those that meet the eligibility requirements for Medicaid, we will protect. We will protect them. Medicaid is extremely important here in the state of Iowa. If you don't want to listen, that's fine." Later that day she blamed "hysteria that's out there coming from the left" for the response to her initial comments. Stephen Gruber-Miller covers the Iowa Statehouse and politics for The Des Moines Register, part of the USA TODAY Network. He can be reached by email atsgrubermil@registermedia.comor on X at@sgrubermiller. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register:Joni Ernst posts sarcastic apology following viral Medicaid comments

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 31, 2025

Joni Ernst posts sarcastic apology video following comments that 'we all are going to die'

Joni Ernst posts sarcastic apology video following comments that 'we all are going to die' U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst posted a sarcastic a...

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Germany's new chancellor, Merz, to meet Trump in Washington on Thursday

Germany's new chancellor, Merz, to meet Trump in Washington on Thursday

BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Germany's new chancellor, Friedrich Merz, will travel to Washington to meet U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday, German and U.S. officials said on Saturday. This will be Merz's first visit to the United States since taking office on May 6, and comes amid high tensions between the trans-Atlantic partners over trade and the Russian war in Ukraine. The visit was confirmed by a German government spokesman and a White House official. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Trevor Hunnicutt; Writing by Sarah Marsh; Editing by Toby Chopra)

byKonstantin Pynzar

in

May 31, 2025

Germany's new chancellor, Merz, to meet Trump in Washington on Thursday

Germany's new chancellor, Merz, to meet Trump in Washington on Thursday BERLIN/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Germany's new chancellor, Frie...

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