Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, also known as the Duffer Brothers, wanted to put the series finale of the Netflix show in movie theaters; however, it doesn’t sound like it’s going to happen.
Stranger Things is returning for its fifth and final season later this year. Season 5 is being split up into three different parts, with the first two arriving next month and the final two in December.
Why won’t the Stranger Things finale play in movie theaters?
Speaking with Variety, Matt confirmed that the Stranger Things finale clicks in at “around two hours.”
Given the lengthy runtime and the fan base that Stranger Things has accumulated over the years, the Duffers wanted to put the show’s finale into movie theaters. This would be an uncommon, though not completely unheard of, move for Netflix, as they typically release their shows and movies straight onto the streaming service.
Having said that, the KPop Demon Hunters sing-along turned a strong profit when it was put into theaters earlier this year, while Greta Gerwig has scored an IMAX release for her forthcoming The Chronicles of Narnia movie that arrives in 2026.
“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,” Matt said. “More than that, it’s about experiencing it at the same time with fans.”
Despite this, Netflix Chief Creative Officer Bela Bajaria said she thinks the streaming platform will suit the Stranger Things finale just fine.
“A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched Stranger Things on Netflix,” Bajaria said. “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.”
The first volume of Stranger Things Season 5 arrives on November 26, while Volume 2 will be released on December 25 and Volume 3 on December 31.
Originally reported by Brandon Schreur at SuperHeroHype.
