The Duffer Brothers previously said Netflix shot down the idea, but things have changed.

Stranger Things 2-hour series finale will play in movie theaters: ‘It’s something we dreamed about for years’

The Duffer Brothers previously said Netflix shot down the idea, but things have changed.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in *Vanity Fair*, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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October 23, 2025 9:12 a.m. ET

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven on 'Stranger Things 5'. Credit:

Courtesy of Netflix

*Stranger Things* is headed to the big screen, a move series creators Matt and Ross Duffer have long fought for.

The two-hour season 5 finale, which marks the end of the series, will play in select theaters alongside its streaming debut, Netflix announced Thursday morning. Screenings will take place in more than 350 locations in the U.S. and Canada, beginning Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT, timed to the episode's global premiere on the Netflix platform, and will run through Jan. 1, 2026.

"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," the Duffers said in a joint statement. "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 bitchin' — way to celebrate the end of this adventure."

The Duffer Brothers wanting to dive into the theatrical experience is a big reason why the creative duo are leaving Netflix to make projects for Paramount as part of a newly struck deal.

Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Joe Keery, Charlie Heaton, and Gaten Matarazzo on 'Stranger Things 5'.

Courtesy of Netflix

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Netflix chief creative officer Bela Bajaria shut down the idea of releasing the finale in theaters in a *Variety* cover story published last week. "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."

However, a Puck report suggested that the interview was conducted before recent conversations.

"People don't get to experience how much time and effort is spent on sound and picture, and they're seeing it at reduced quality," Matt told *Variety* in the same story. "More than that, it's about experiencing it at the same time with fans."

More information, including how to attend the fan events and the theater locations that will screen the finale, will be announced later this year.

Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, and Jake Connelly on 'Stranger Things 5'.

Courtesy of Netflix

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*Stranger Things 5* picks up in the fall of 1987 at a time when Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts and currently under military occupation. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is hiding again from a government trying to track her down, but she and the gang are aligned on one goal: to find and kill Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). The problem is that he's missing.**

The final season will be released in three separate chunks. Volume 1 will arrive Nov. 26 on Netflix and consist of the first four episodes: "The Crawl" (running time: one hour and eight minutes), the still-undisclosed episode 2 (54 minutes), "The Turnbow Trap" (one hour and six minutes), and "Sorcerer" (one hour and 23 minutes).

Volume 2, consisting of the next three episodes, will arrive on Christmas Day. The finale will then drop Dec. 31 on Netflix. Each volume will air at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

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Source: “AOL TV”