The final chapter of Stranger Things that fans are eagerly waiting for is heading to the big screen.
Netflix on Thursday announced that the Season 5 finale of the hit sci-fi series will release in select theatres across the US and Canada on December 31, alongside its global premiere on the streaming platform.
“Fans can experience the final episode of Stranger Things on Netflix and in select theatres on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,” the platform said in a post on Instagram.
The two-hour episode, titled “The Rightside Up,” will be the first theatrical release for the Duffer Brothers’ blockbuster series, which has been one of Netflix’s biggest global successes since its debut in 2016.
The end of Hawkins
The fifth and final season stars Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, Brett Gelman, and Natalia Dyer.
Linda Hamilton, known for her role in Terminator, will also appear in the final season.
Stranger Things is set in the 1980s town of Hawkins, Indiana. It began with the mysterious disappearance of Will Byers in the first season. Since then, the series has grown into a cultural phenomenon, blending supernatural horror with nostalgia and emotional storytelling.
Season 4, released in May and July 2022, ended with Hawkins on the brink of destruction, setting up a final battle that will unfold over eight episodes.
Release timeline
The first four episodes will stream on November 26, followed by episodes 5 to 7 on Christmas Day. The finale, 'The Rightside Up,' will release both on Netflix and in theatres on New Year’s Eve, closing one of the most-watched series in the platform’s history.
With the theatrical release, Netflix appears to be giving Stranger Things the kind of send-off usually reserved for Hollywood blockbusters which is a fitting end for a show that turned nostalgia into a global event.
