Netflix has confirmed the full list of cities and theater locations for fan screenings of the final episode of Stranger Things Season 5.
The decade-long sci-fi series finally comes to an end at the end of the year, with the Season 5 finale set to rubber stamp the characters’ fates. Netflix has taken the unusual step of releasing the final episode in theaters at 5pm PT on December 31, the exact same time it hits the streamer. The screenings will take place in over 500 theaters in the U.S. and Canada (check the list here) starting on December 31, 2025 at 5pm PT, timed to the finale’s global premiere on Netflix, and run through January 1, 2026.
Netflix has also confirmed the run time of the Stranger Things Season 5 finale: 2 hours 5 minutes.
Stranger Things creators and showrunners the Duffer Brothers 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.”
In October, Ross Duffer told fans they should only come and see the Stranger Things Season 5 finale in front of a cinema screen if they’re cool with crying in a crowded room.
“The finale. Theaters. New Year’s Eve,” Duffer wrote in a new Instagram post alongside a photo of the drawing Lucas and Max used to ask each other on a date in Season 4. “This is something my brother and I have dreamed about for years. If you don’t mind crying in front of strangers, GO. And if you’re in LA… maybe we’ll see you there.”
Ross and his brother Matt had previously expressed major excitement about the idea that some of these Season 5 episodes — which run much longer than an average episode in the series — could be a prime opportunity for theatrical exhibition.
“That would be amazing,” Ross told Variety recently. “Because the fans could be there with other fans, and experience it as a communal thing — it would be incredible.” Matt added: “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. More than that, it’s about experiencing it at the same time with fans.”
However, Netflix remains steadfast in its focus on streaming, with chief creative officer Bela Bajaria telling Variety that Stranger Things didn’t need a theatrical exhibition to continue to be a cultural phenomenon in its final season.
“A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched Stranger Things on Netflix,” she explained. “It has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom. I think releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want.”
Stranger Things 5 releases on Netflix across three premiere dates: Volume 1 is now streaming globally (Episodes 501-504), Volume 2 comes out on December 25 (Episodes 505-507), and The Finale releases on December 31 (Episode 508). Each volume releases at 5pm PT.
Stranger Things Season 5 release dates:
- VOL 1 – November 26, 5pm PT
- VOL 2 – Christmas, 5pm PT
- THE FINALE – New Year’s Eve, 5pm PT
We’ve got plenty more on Stranger Things, including Ross Duffer’s call to arms for fans to turn off “garbage” TV settings before watching Season 5. And be sure to check out our Stranger Things: Season 5, Vol. 1 spoiler review to find out what we think of how the show is going.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
