Stranger Things 5 by the duffer brothers Netflix

'Stranger Things' series finale getting simultaneous theatrical release

Originally posted on Nerdist | By Michael Walsh | Last updated Oct 23, 2025 11:31 AM ET

Finn Wolfhard recently said the negative reaction to Game of Thrones final season had his cast “pretty worried” about how fans would react to his own show’s farewell. Whether or not that will prove prescient (we both hope and think it won’t) remains to be seen. But his series is guaranteed to be different in one meaningful way from Game of Thrones. The Duffer Brothers will end their hit series the way David Benioff and D.B. Weiss wanted to end theirs: on the big screen. Netflix has announced Stranger Things‘ series finale will get a theatrical release.

Don’t worry about having to leave the comfort of your own couch to see how Hawkins will bid the Upside Down goodbye, though. It’s still going to air on Netflix at the same time.

Netflix says Netflix is bringing the last episode of Stranger Things 5 to more than 350 select theaters nationwide. The screenings will begin in both the U.S. and Canada starting on December 31, 2025 at 5:00pm PT. That’s when the episode will also premiere around the world on the streaming site. The special theatrical screenings will then continue to run on January 1, 2026.

Happy New Year, Vecna! Well, no. We hope it’s an Unhappy New Year. You know what we mean!

In a statement the Duffer Brothers explained why they wanted their show’s swan song to get the silver screen treatment:

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, and we’re so grateful to Ted, Bela, and everyone at Netflix for making it happen. Getting to see it on the big screen, with incredible sound, picture, and a room full of fans, feels like the perfect — dare we say b----in’ — way to celebrate the end of this adventure.

This cinematic release fulfills a dream first floated by Benioff and Weiss for their series. They wanted to say goodbye to Westeros with movies, but HBO reminded them Game of Thrones was a TV show. If the Duffers had pitched making three movies instead of a final season, Netflix might have also turned them down.

Instead we know Stranger Things fans will be turning up at theaters on New Year’s Eve.

This article first appeared on Nerdist and was syndicated with permission.

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