Stranger Things season 5 leak rumors: Hackers claim they'll release the first three episodes

Stranger Things season 5 is more than halfway through production with the final season landing on Netflix sometime in 2025.

According to reports from Forbes and Soap Central, hackers claim to have illegally taken the first three episodes of Stranger Things season 5. Now, one of the hackers has reportedly claimed to release the first three episodes of the final season sometime on Tuesday, Aug. 13, or Wednesday, Aug. 14.

Several Netflix shows also leaked last week, including new seasons of Arcane, Heartstopper, and others after Netflix said a post-production partner was "compromised," according to a report from IGN.

So far, no actual footage from Stranger Things season 5 has leaked. It's impossible to know if Stranger Things season 5 was actually one of the shows part of the leak or not. As soon as I heard about the leak, I think we all knew Stranger Things was about to be mentioned. It's the show everyone is waiting for after all.

It appears the @UpsideDownScoop Twitter account shared the information that hackers planned to release the "unfinished episodes."

Obviously, it's always a bummer when something like this happens. We all want to see Stranger Things season 5, but this isn't the way we want to see it. There are so many reasons this is so lame. This isn't how the art was meant to be viewed by the many artists who have a hand in bringing a show like Stranger Things -- and many other series -- to life.

Through work, I've seen a lot of unfinished episodes of TV, and the thing is they don't look good or sound good. And, there's literally no guarantee any shot that you would see will actually make it into the episode. It's well-publicized by now that the Duffers and the Stranger Things creative team were working on season 4 up to the release -- and even after! -- on Netflix.

Other than learning plot details, it isn't an enjoyable experience. Plus, there's a lot of risk in downloading anything from unofficial sources, especially given the illegal nature of this situation. It's safe to say everyone is much better off waiting until the full season is ready to go!

If you're a fan of Stranger Things waiting patiently for season 5, you might want to mute some terms on social media or stay off the platforms in the coming days to avoid potential spoilers.

Stay tuned for more news about Stranger Things season 5!