Netflix is going all out for the finale of one of its biggest shows. Variety reports that *Stranger Things*’ two-hour series finale will be shown in theaters on New Year’s Eve.
*Stranger Things* Season 5 will premiere on November 26 with the first four episodes, followed by three episodes on Christmas Day. The finale, titled “The Rightside Up,” will drop on New Year’s Eve. This special two-hour episode will premiere both on Netflix and in over 350 movie theaters starting at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on December 31. Showings will continue through January 1, 2026.
Details about the specific theaters screening the finale have not yet been released.
### Creators Share Their Thoughts on Theatrical Screening
News of the finale’s theatrical run comes after creators Matt and Ross Duffer expressed interest in potentially playing the episode in theaters in a Variety cover story.
“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 Duffer said. “More than that, it’s about experiencing it at the same time with fans.”
“That would be amazing,” Ross Duffer added. “Because the fans could be there with other fans, and experience it as a communal thing — it would be incredible.”
### A Fitting Send-Off for a Beloved Series
It’s no surprise that Netflix wants *Stranger Things* to go out with a bang. Since its premiere in 2016, the series has remained one of the streamer’s biggest hits. Considering it has taken over three years for Season 5 to be released, fans are eager to see how the story concludes—and who may not make it out alive.
### What to Expect in Season 5
According to Netflix, Season 5 takes place in 1987, following the events of the Season 4 finale.
> “Hawkins is scarred by the opening of the Rifts, and our heroes are united by a single goal: find and kill Vecna. But he has vanished—his whereabouts and plans unknown.
> Complicating their mission, the government has placed the town under military quarantine and intensified its hunt for Eleven, forcing her back into hiding.
> As the anniversary of Will’s disappearance approaches, so does a heavy, familiar dread. The final battle is looming and with it, a darkness more powerful and more deadly than anything they’ve faced before.
> To end this nightmare, they’ll need everyone—the full party—standing together, one last time.”
### The Ensemble Cast
*Stranger Things* features an ensemble cast including:
– Winona Ryder
– David Harbour
– Millie Bobby Brown
– Finn Wolfhard
– Gaten Matarazzo
– Caleb McLaughlin
– Noah Schnapp
– Sadie Sink
– Natalia Dyer
– Charlie Heaton
– Joe Keery
– Maya Hawke
– Priah Ferguson
– Brett Gelman
– Jamie Campbell Bower
– Cara Buono
– Amybeth McNulty
– Nell Fisher
– Jake Connelly
– Alex Breaux
– Linda Hamilton
Stay tuned as the countdown begins for the epic conclusion to one of Netflix’s most iconic shows.
https://popculture.com/streaming/news/finale-of-hit-netflix-series-will-play-in-movie-theaters/
