The Duffer Brothers are essentially ruling out a “Stranger Things” sequel — calling such a move a “gross cash grab” — though a Broadways show exists and a spinoff is

Seasons 4 and 5 of Stranger Things consistently positioned Vecna as the villain, yet there were always complexities to his story. There was little getting around the fact that he'd committed heinous acts (he wiped out all the Hawkins Lab kids, after all), but questions arose early on about the extent to which he was in control.

Luckily, the wait is nearly over. The two-hour series finale of Stranger Things will release on December 31 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix. The episode will also be released in select theaters on December 31 and January 1, so be sure to check out local showtimes if you want to experience the Upside Down on the big screen.

Sci-fi horror on television largely lived on the fringes before the Duffer Brothers' Stranger Things. It was niche and was often constrained by modest budgets and cautious expectations.

The Duffer Brothers have revealed that Stranger Things season 5 originally included a scene where Winona Ryder's Joyce and David Harbour's Hopper realized they already knew Vecna.