Netflix has Stranger Things fans fearing the worst with its newly released batch of season five character posters.
On Monday, weeks before the Christmas Day premiere of Volume Two, the streamer unveiled nine new of edits of the series’ main cast, including Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard), Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Will Byers (Noah Schnapp), Dustin Henderson (Gaten Matarazzo), Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink), Lucas Sinclair (Caleb McLaughlin), Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton). Each poster featured a headshot of the character above an ominous red, lightning-streaked background.
Immediately, fans on X noticed that three favorite characters had been left off the lineup: Robin Buckley (Maya Hawke), Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder).
Many were worried that the omission meant at least one of the trio would be killed off in the next batch of episodes.
“WHERE IS ROBIN?” one questioned. “I’M TAKING THIS AS A SPOILER IF YOU DON’T DROP HER POSTER.”
“Where is Robin? Joyce? Hopper?” a second wrote, with a third commenting: “My three faves without a poster that’s so cruel.”
“Funny how they arranged the photos,” a fourth observed, suggesting that the order of posters was deliberate to highlight at least two of the love triangles between Eleven, Mike, and Will, and Steve, Nancy, and Jonathan.
Another noted that while they’ve seen “a lot of people commenting that Robin is gonna die for not having gotten a poster,” they disagreed, writing: “Robin is the least killable character in the series. TRUST ME!”
Shortly after unveiling the character posters, Netflix began posting video clips from Volume One. “Oh we posting edits now,” one fan replied. “Okay but still no Robin Buckley poster…”
Robin was first introduced in the show’s third season as Steve’s good friend and co-worker at the mall’s ice cream parlor. Meanwhile, Hopper, the town’s former chief of police, and Joyce, the mother of Jonathan and Will, have been main characters since the show’s 2016 inception.
Ready for one last battle.
— Netflix (@netflix) December 8, 2025
Stranger Things 5 Vol. 2 premieres Christmas Day. pic.twitter.com/whjVHtUyWu
Stranger Things, which follows a group of school friends as they search for answers after a mysterious girl arrives from an alternate dimension, returned with the first part of its final season late last month.
In a three-star review of the episodes, The Independent’s Nick Hilton wondered whether Netflix’s hit can “stick the landing.”
Applauding the series’ creators, the Duffer brothers, for having created “something, in the beleaguered town of Hawkins and its luckless citizenry, that is admirably immersive,” Hilton added: “The danger now is that the desire to give it a spectacular send-off will undermine those charming, emotional moments where Stranger Things delved into one of the great cinematic subjects: finding your place in the world as you exit childhood.”
Volume Two of Stranger Things’ fifth season will be available to stream Christmas Day on Netflix, followed by the series finale premiering New Year’s Eve on Netflix and in theaters.
Paramount launches hostile bid for Warner Bros challenging Netflix
Gen Z names film stars as Britain’s top cultural influencers
Unions sound the alarm on Netflix and Warner Bros merger: ‘Must be blocked’
What Netflix’s $82.7B deal for Warner Bros means for you
Jimmy Kimmel extends deal with ABC for another year
Strictly star thanks professional partner for helping him ‘fall in love’
