What we learned from Tudum 2025: ‘Wednesday’, ‘Stranger Things’ and more
Netflix did not just host an event. It put on a show. Tudum 2025 felt less like a press drop and more like a three-hour power move packed with exclusive trailers, wild crossovers, and enough internet-breaking moments to fuel stan accounts for months. If Netflix wanted to remind the world that it still runs the game, this was it.
From Lady Gaga performing live to cast reveals that had entire fandoms spiralling, the vibe inside LA’s Kia Forum was pure adrenaline. One minute, you were watching Stranger Things stars tearfully talk about the finale. Next, Cookie Monster was sharing screen time with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon. None of it should have worked. And yet, it all did.
Tudum has always been about building hype, but this year it went bigger, sharper, and way more unfiltered. This was not just a celebration of content. It was Netflix throwing everything it had from sequels to surprise roles, musical numbers, and heartfelt moments into one giant, streaming-shaped blender.
If you missed the madness, here is a breakdown of everything that was announced, revealed, teased, or totally took us by surprise.
The biggest reveals from Netflix Tudum 2025
Lady Gaga in Wednesday Season 2
The showstopper moment came when Lady Gaga performed a medley that included “Zombieboy” and “Bloody Mary” right before Netflix dropped the first six minutes of Wednesday Season 2. It was also confirmed that Gaga will play Rosaline Rotwood, an enigmatic Nevermore teacher with secrets of her own. Part 1 arrives on August 6th. Part 2 follows on September 3rd.
The final chapter of Stranger Things
The Hawkins crew took the stage to reveal the format for the end. Season 5 will be released in three volumes: four episodes on November 26th, three on Christmas Day, and the finale on New Year’s Eve. The countdown is real. And emotional damage is imminent.
Daniel Craig returns in Wake Up Dead Man
Rian Johnson’s third Knives Out mystery looks nothing like the first two. Gothic, cold, and eerie, Wake Up Dead Man promises a darker Benoit Blanc and a mystery that feels personal. The cast includes Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Josh O’Connor, and Kerry Washington. It premieres globally on December 12th. The teaser features graveyards, miracles, and a very unhinged reverend. It looks like murder dressed as faith.
A chilling first look at Squid Game Season 3
The final season of Squid Game premieres on June 27th. The new trailer, revealed on stage, is packed with blood, betrayal, and even higher stakes. Cast members stormed the stage with dancers and Hanumankind’s anthem ‘Run It Up’, setting a pulsing tone for the last game.
Tony Tony Chopper makes his debut in One Piece Season 2
The Straw Hats are back in 2026. Netflix confirmed the return of One Piece with a surprise reveal of Tony Tony Chopper, voiced by Mikaela Hoover. The audience screamed. WWE stars introduced the teaser. It was as bizarre and perfect as it sounds.
Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein is alive
Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, and Oscar Isaac joined del Toro to preview Frankenstein, which finally got its first teaser. The mood is intense. The visuals are poetic. And del Toro promised that this is the adaptation he has waited his whole life to make.
Adam Sandler tees off in Happy Gilmore 2
Yes, it is happening. Adam Sandler is back in golf mode. The trailer debuted live, joined by surprise guests like Jon Lovitz and Lavell Crawford. The sequel hits Netflix on July 25 and looks as nostalgic and chaotic as fans hoped.
Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, and Cookie Monster in The Rip
In what might be the weirdest crossover of the night, Affleck and Damon introduced their crime thriller The Rip, only to walk into Cookie Monster snacking backstage. Steven Yeun and Teyana Taylor round out the cast. The teaser was exclusive to Tudum, and the film releases on January 16th, 2026.
The YA multiverse and reality crossovers
Cast members from Outer Banks, Forever, Ginny & Georgia, and My Life with the Walter Boys shared the stage for rapid-fire questions and selfies. Vanessa Lachey hosted a Tudum Kiss Cam featuring couples from Love Is Blind, Love on the Spectrum, and WWE. Jackie Tohn dropped behind-the-scenes tea while AJ McClean previewed Building the Band, a new music competition with Nicole Scherzinger and the late Liam Payne.
Final word? Netflix is not releasing shows. It is releasing events.
Tudum 2025 was not about filling a calendar. It was about planting flags. The streamer has officially moved past being just a library. It is a pop culture machine producing spectacle, sparking conversation, and leaving us all with just one question.
How are we supposed to get through the rest of the year without watching all this right now?