Netflix shakes up Stranger Things season 5 finale release with simultaneous theater and streaming debut in world first

• Netflix has changed its Stranger Things season 5 release plans
• The finale episode of the hit show will now also be coming to movie theaters
• Showings will be available from December 31, 2025, through January 1, 2026

Big news, Stranger Things fans: Netflix is going to release the feature length finale episode of the sci-fi show's fifth and final season in movie theaters after all, with screenings set to take place simultaneously with its streaming debut in a world first.

That means when the finale episode of Stranger Things season 5 is released on Netflix on December 31 at 5pm PT in the US and midnight GMT in the UK (Aussies will be able to stream it on January 1 at 10am), you'll also have the option to head over to your local cinema to catch it on the big screen.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, there will be screenings of the episode in over 350 theaters in the US and Canada. No other countries have yet to be confirmed to also be getting the theatrical run, but further information is set to come about the specific theater locations, so we'll be sure to update this article when we hear more.

The Duffer Brothers have said that they're "beyond excited" that fans will have the option to watch the final episode on the big screen, saying "it’s something we’ve dreamed about for years" in a 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 b****in’ – way to celebrate the end of this adventure," they added.

The news is a big relief to the creators of Stranger Things, who previously said in an interview with Variety (see the post below) that they were disappointed that "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".

While that story has since been pulled, at the time Netflix’s chief creative officer Bela Bajaria had said that the show's next installment would not be getting a theatrical release, because "it has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom". In fact, she said that "releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want".

It was this stance on theatrical releases that ultimately contributed to Matt and Ross Duffer's decision to sign a four-year exclusive deal for feature films, TV shows and streaming projects with Paramount, as they wanted to make more movies for the big screen, according to Deadline.

Why theatrical releases are vital to streaming success

Of course, this isn't the first time that a hit TV show has had a theatrical release, with Stranger Things season 4 and Game of Thrones season 8 both seeing episodes released in cinemas after their TV premieres. However, this approach is different.

Not only will studios often prioritize a theatrical release before it becomes available on streaming to drive up engagement, but they also tend to limit theatrical runs to movies rather than TV shows, which makes the Stranger Things season 5 finale release plan one of the first to adopt the approach.

Investing in a theatrical marketing campaign means that Netflix will double its chances to boost engagement as it will already be riding the wave of interest from the first two Stranger Things season 5 release dates – the first volume lands on November 26, followed by the second volume on December 25.

I also suspect that this type of release schedule will likely prompt spikes in Netflix's back catalog. Indeed, I wouldn't be surprised if we see previous seasons of the hit show back in the streamer's most-watched charts during late November through to early January 2026.

Compared to rival studios, Netflix has been more reserved when it comes to theatrical releases, opting to only dabble in limited-runs for select titles in 2025, like the global phenomenon KPop Demon Hunters, Guillermo Del Toror's Frankenstein, Noah Baumbach's Jay Kelly and Kathryn Bigelow's A House of Dynamite.

But Netflix can't continue ignoring the success that its rivals are seeing by releasing titles in theaters. The best streaming services have all proven that this approach can be successful, especially for titles like A Minecraft Movie, Captain America: Brave New World, F1 and Highest 2 Lowest, which were all among the most-streamed following box office runs.

Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!

And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too.