Netflix Takes 'Stranger Things' Finale to Theaters for New Year's Eve Event

Netflix is bringing the Stranger Things series finale to movie theaters. Time to nerd out with fellow fans!

The two-hour and five-minute finale will screen in over 500 theaters across the U.S. and Canada starting Dec. 31 at 5:00 p.m. PT, timed exactly to when it drops on Netflix. Screenings continue through Jan. 1.

The full theater list and RSVP details are available at ST5Finale.com.

This marks a significant departure for Netflix, which has historically kept its series content on streaming platforms. Theaters will sell concession vouchers rather than tickets, with exhibitors keeping all revenue from screenings, meaning Netflix won't collect any box-office returns from the event.

The theatrical push actually came after fan demand. When creators Matt and Ross Duffer mentioned wanting a theater release in a Variety story, Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria initially said that wasn't going to happen.

“A lot of people—a lot, a lot, a lot of people—have watched Stranger Things on Netflix,” she said. “It has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom. I think releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want.”

But the company changed course after fans expressed a very strong desire to see the finale on the big screen.

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This theatrical experiment could be an interesting test case. Netflix has occasionally granted theatrical windows for its feature films, especially for awards contenders. But releasing a television series finale simultaneously in theaters and on streaming is essentially unprecedented at this scale.

"We're beyond excited that fans will have the chance to experience the final episode of Stranger Things in theaters—it's something we've dreamed about for years," the Duffer Brothers said in a statement. "Getting to see it on the big screen, with incredible sound, picture, and a room full of fans, feels like the perfect way to celebrate the end of this adventure."

The finale caps off the show's three-part release strategy for Season 5. Volume 1 (episodes 1-4) dropped Nov. 26, Volume 2 (episodes 5-7) arrives Christmas Day, and the finale lands New Year's Eve.

Stranger Things has been a cultural phenomenon since its 2016 debut. Ahead of Season 5's release, all four previous seasons landed in the Top 10, the first time a series had four seasons in the Top 10 at the same time.

The finale episode, titled "The Rightside Up," finds the residents of Hawkins dealing with military occupation following the breach between their world and the Upside Down. According to the official synopsis, the heroes are united by one goal... find and kill Vecna, whose whereabouts remain unknown as the final battle looms.

Check out where the screenings will be to see if you'll be able to attend!

Will you be at one of the theatrical screenings?