The Duffer Brothers say 'Stranger Things' will have shorter episodes in season five

They told the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast: "The only reason we don't expect to be as long is, this season, if you look at it, it's almost a two-hour ramp up before our kids really get drawn into a supernatural mystery.

"You get to know them, you get to see them in their lives, they're struggling with adapting to high school and so forth, Steve's trying to find a date, all of that.

"None of that is obviously going to be occurring [in season 5]."

However, they admitted the show's finale will "likely" be a feature length episode, in a similar way to season four's ending.

They added: "We're more likely to do what we did here, which is to just have a 2.5 hour episode."

With season four ending in dramatic fashion and plenty at stake, the Duffer Brothers admitted the next series will throw fans right back into the action with no need to set the scene or take time to establish "a goal and a drive".

They explained: "Characters are already going to be in action, they're already going to have a goal and a drive, and I think that's going to carve out at least a couple hours and make this season feel really different.

"I'm sure the wrap-up will be a lot longer, it's going to be 'Return of the King'-ish with, like, eight endings."