Ahead of the premiere of the last two volumes of the fifth (and final) season, Netflix has made an unprecedented announcement: the two-hour finale, titled 'The Rightside Up', will be screened in theatres, on December 31.
Limited theatrical screenings is scheduled in more than 350 theatres in the US and Canada on the same date and time to coincide with the global premiere on Netflix, until Jan. 1, 2026.
In an official Netflix statement, creators Matt and Ross Duffer said: “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 bitchin’ — way to celebrate the end of this adventure.”
This event marks the first time that Netflix opted to screen a series (or parts of it) on the big screen. Recently, the streamer had screened their animated hit KPop: Demon Hunters for a limited engagement.
A while ago, Netflix had confirmed the release dates of the much-anticipated fifth and final season of Stranger Things. Unlike the previous seasons, this chapter will stream in three parts — Volume 1 on Nov. 26, 2025, Dec. 25, 2025, and The Finale on Dec. 31, 2025.
Season 5 will reveal the mysteries that were left unanswered at the end of Season 4. Here's the official logline: “The fall of 1987. 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.”
Stranger Things Season 5 will feature Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, and Linda Hamilton, among others.
The first season premiered on July 15, 2016, and created history. It introduced viewers to Hawkins, Indiana in the 1980s, following a bunch of kids whose lives are changed forever by unforeseen supernatural events that plague their neighbourhood. With influences from Steven Spielberg's E.T. to Close Encounters of the Third Kind to Stephen King's horror novels such as IT, the show turned into one of the biggest shows worldwide, attracting a large fanbase that recalls the popularity of shows like Game of Thrones, Breaking Bad, and Money Heist. Needless to say, the conclusion will be emotional for fans who have been following the show religiously.
Recently, co-creator Ross Duffer wrote about bidding farewell to the show and the evolution of the actors through the show. "We’ve been telling this story for nearly a decade now. Many of our cast members joined us when they were kids, just ten or eleven years old. It wasn’t just a show for them—it was a defining part of their childhood. They’ve grown up before our eyes, becoming more than actors—they’ve become family. Our crew—many of whom have been with us from the very beginning—holds a special place in our hearts. Their dedication and passion have been the backbone of this journey. Everyone involved was determined to bring this story to a satisfying conclusion. They poured their hearts and souls into it, and we couldn’t be more proud of what they’ve accomplished."
