The party from Hawkins is heading to the big screen for one last battle. The series finale of Stranger Things, titled “The Finale” or “The Rightside Up,” will be screened in over 500 movie theaters across the United States and Canada. This special event allows fans to experience the end of the show’s eight-year story alongside other viewers. The final episode will be available in theaters at the exact same time it premieres globally on Netflix.
The screenings are scheduled for December 31, 2025, at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET, with showings continuing through January 1, 2026. Netflix has set up a dedicated website, ST5Finale.com, where people can find a list of all participating theaters and get information on how to reserve a seat.
Official Runtime and Episode Release Schedule
The last episode of Stranger Things will be a long one. Netflix has officially confirmed the runtime is 2 hours and 5 minutes. This makes it a feature-length conclusion, though it is shorter than the 2-hour, 19-minute finale of Season 4. The show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, have known the details of the final scene for years.
“Luckily, it was about six or seven years ago that we knew at least what the final scene is,” Ross Duffer stated. “We always knew what the last 40 minutes were going to be.”
This finale is part of a three-part release for the show’s final season. Volume 1, containing the first four episodes, became available on November 26, 2025. Volume 2 with the next three episodes is set to release on Christmas Day, December 25. The final, standalone episode then arrives on New Year’s Eve.
How to Get Tickets for the Theater Screenings
Getting a seat for the theatrical finale works differently than buying a standard movie ticket. Instead of selling tickets, the participating theaters are using a system based on concession vouchers. To reserve a spot, fans need to purchase a voucher for snacks and drinks at the theater. This voucher then guarantees them a seat for the screening.
This unique approach means Netflix will not earn any box office revenue from these screenings; the money from the vouchers will go directly to the theaters. People can find their local participating theater and get complete details on the RSVP process by visiting the official website at ST5Finale.com. Reservations may also be available through major theater chain websites and ticketing services.
Why the Finale is Coming to Theaters
The decision to bring the finale to cinemas was a direct response to fan interest and a long-held dream for the show’s creators. Initially, Netflix’s chief content officer had said a theatrical event was not planned. However, after strong fan feedback, the company changed its course.
“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,” said Matt and Ross Duffer. “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.”
Matt Duffer explained that this specific release plan makes the theater experience special because everyone is watching the story unfold for the very first time together. He also mentioned that he and his brother plan to secretly attend a screening themselves to watch the audience’s live reaction.
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The Story So Far and What to Expect
Stranger Things 5 is set in the fall of 1987. The town of Hawkins is still scarred by the giant rifts to the Upside Down and is now under a strict military quarantine. The main group of characters is united with a single goal: to find and kill the villain Vecna, who has mysteriously vanished.
The government has intensified its search for Eleven, forcing her into hiding again. As the anniversary of Will Byers’ original disappearance approaches, a sense of dread returns to Hawkins. The final battle promises to be against a darkness more powerful than anything the characters have faced before.
The full main cast returns for this final season, including Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), and Noah Schnapp (Will Byers). New faces joining the story include Jake Connelly as Derek Turnbow, Alex Breaux as Lieutenant Akers, and Linda Hamilton as Dr. Kay.
This theatrical event is a first for Netflix. While the streaming service has released some movies in theaters before, this is the first time it has done so without collecting any box office earnings. The move follows other successful Netflix theatrical events, like the KPop Demon Hunters sing-along this past summer.
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