Hello, you. If you're like us, you are counting down the days until YOU returns for season five on Netflix, giving us one final season of Joe Goldberg, played by Penn Badgley.
The last we saw of Joe, he had somehow avoided being charged with murder (this man seriously has nine lives) and was living it up with Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) in New York City.
But what does the fifth and final season have in store for everyone's favourite serial killer? Will he finally be held accountable for his crimes? Or will he get away with it once again? Here's everything we know so far about YOU season five.
Is there a trailer for YOU season 5?
Yes! In fact there's three. Netflix dropped a teaser trailer alongside the release date in January 2025:
And then on 25 February 2025, Netflix dropped another teaser, this time of Joe and Kate together in a boujie looking apartment, and Joe telling the audience how powerful he feels.
On 10 March, Netflix then released the full length 2 minutes and 21 seconds long trailer and oh my god so much is happening.
First Joe is on peak form, and basically living the life of luxury thanks to Kate, and he's also got his son back. There's ANOTHER new love interest for Joe, and we're also introduced to more of Kate's family who don't seem too keen on their sister taking over the company.
And in very exciting news we also see a quick glimpse at the return of Amy-Leigh Hickman as Nadia, who is currently rotting in jail.
Watch the full trailer here:
YOU season 5 confirmed release date
OMG. On 17th January 2025, Netflix revealed when we can expect YOU's fifth and final season on screens, and we are buzzing. "Every story must come to an end. The fifth and final season of YOU premieres 24 April, only on Netflix," they shared on X (formerly known as Twitter.)
The poster shows Joe Goldberg in his infamous cage, with water filled up to his chest. The tagline reads, "To the last breath."
Just FYI, season four of YOU was confirmed in October 2021, with filming beginning in March 2022. Part one was released in February 2023 and the second half in March 2023.
YOU season 5 cast news
Drum roll please, as none other than Nava Mau from Baby Reindeer has joined the cast of YOU season 5. Speaking to Cosmopolitan UK about how the role came about, the actress shared how she received a "beautifully written" letter from showrunners Michael Foley and Justin W Lo, explaining why they wanted her to play a detective called Marquez.
"They described her as the emotional anchor of this narrative discovery and so I really felt the responsibility," she says. "They had seen Baby Reindeer and they felt that I could handle the weight that this character has to carry, the intensity and compassion. All I can say is that she did not come to play."
Announcing on the 21st March 2024, Netflix announced: "Anna Camp and Griffin Matthews to star in the upcoming season of YOU. Anna will play both Reagan and Maddie Lockwood — twin sisters-in-law to Joe Goldberg and Griffin plays Teddy Lockwood — the snarky, yet loyal brother-in-law."
Twin sisters played by the same actress? We already know we're going to love this.
On Friday 8th March 2024, the streamer also shared an update on their X account, posting that Madeline Brewer would be joining the cast for season five as Bronte, who works at Joe's bookstore.
"Madeline Brewer will join Penn Badgley in Season 5 of YOU. Brewer plays Bronte, an enigmatic and free-spirited playwright who comes to work for Joe at his bookstore. As the two connect over literature and loss, she stokes in him a nostalgia for his former self, causing him to question everything his life has become," the streamer said.
Madeline, 31, is best known for her role in Handmaid's Tale as Janine Lindo.
As for the rest of the cast, Penn Badgley will definitely be back as Joe. At Netflix's TUDUM event in June, a teaser for the fifth season left fans speculating about Jenna Ortega returning to her role as Ellie. OMG!
In the clip, we hear Joe say, "Although I can't say who just yet, we all know there are many loose ends from Joe's past. The question is, 'Who are you?'" Then, the teaser showed clips featuring different characters, including Ellie from season two, so fans are hoping to see her appear in season five.
Amy-Leigh Hickman is also keen to reprise her role as Nadia, too, telling Digital Spy she would "love to come back and play her again." Marienne (played by Tati Gabrielle) makes an appearance in season four, so she could be back for season five too, although given how things ended for her, it's unlikely she'll ever want to be within 10 miles of Joe. We can also assume that Kate (Charlotte Ritchie) will return as Joe's girlfriend now they live in New York.
Are they any pictures from YOU season 5?
Hello, Joe Goldberg! On 25th March 2024, Netflix teased the new series with our first look at Penn Badley as Joe in the Big Apple. "Spotted: Joe Goldberg in New York City. The 5th and final season of YOU is now in production," Netflix wrote on X/Twitter.
Then, on 24th April 2024, Penn was photographed filming against as Joe. This time around, he seems to be moving out of a New York apartment, filming alongside new cast-member Madeline Brewer from The Handmaid's Tale. She plays Bronte, who works alongside Joe in his bookstore:
Later, on 21st May 2024, fans then got their first glimpse at Anna Camp in action, on the set of YOU season 5. She plays twin sisters-in-law (yep, she's playing both of them) to Joe Goldberg, which we assume makes them Kate's sisters?
What will season 5 of YOU be about?
At Netflix's TUDUM event, Penn Badgley revealed his character would be residing in New York for season five, and could come up against some familiar faces from his past. He said in the clip, "You’re considering what – or most importantly, who – Joe might come up against as he finally returns to New York."
Season four ended with Joe and Kate living in New York, with Joe having evaded any accusation of murder and planning to 'help' the world alongside Kate. As Penn teased, we would expect the next season to follow them with their peaceful and happy lives in New York, that is until Joe murders someone else, of course.
YOU fans have a number of ideas they think the plot could follow, and there's one particular theory we're pretty invested in. Many fans think Nadia (Amy-Leigh Hickman), Ellie (Jenna Ortega) and Marienne (Tati Gabrielle) could team up to take Joe down once and for all. One person tweeted: "I need a Nadia, Ellie and Marienne team up to bring Joe down in season five, I just know they can do it."
Another said: "Ellie, Marienne and Nadia must team up in season five so they can finally take Joe down for good! #YouNetflix."
Now, whilst we can't really see Marienne being too keen to have anything to do with Joe, she just got her daughter back after all, we can definitely see a world in which Ellie and Nadia team up to plot revenge. Once Nadia gets out of jail that is.
We know Amy-Leigh is keen to return for another season and Jenna Ortega revealed she wanted to return for season four, however couldn't commit due to Wednesday scheduling conflicts. So there's definitely potential for this team up.
When was YOU season 5 confirmed?
On 24th March 2023, Netflix officially confirmed a fifth and *FINAL* season of YOU. Joe Goldberg is back one last time. In a tweet, the Netflix UK account wrote, "NEWS: Joe Goldberg will return for the fifth and ~final~ season of YOU in 2024."
