Why Netflix Rejected A Theatrical Release For The Stranger Things Finale

The villainous Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) isn't just coming for the Hawkins kids, but the holidays as well. The fifth and final season of "Strangers Things" will be rolling out on Netflix starting in November, with Volume 1 releasing the day before Thanksgiving, Volume 2 on Christmas Day, and the series finale landing on New Year's Eve. Chances are that, if you have a "Stranger Things" fan in your house during these holidays, you won't be watching anything else. Season 4 was a huge success and viewers have waited on that huge cliffhanger since 2022, even though /Film's Chris Evangelista considered the last batch of episodes overstuffed in his review. To make the arrival of the sci-fi phenomenon's end even more anticipated, it was recently announced that the grand finale would be over two hours long. They're basically movies at this point.

Playing the first two Volumes of season 5 in movie theaters is a non-starter, although I did witness David Lynch's "Twin Peaks: The Return" turn out a crowd for screenings of all 18 episodes just last month. It's not impossible so much as logistically difficult for most theaters. The series finale, on the other hand, is about as long as a feature-length movie, so it seems like a more natural fit. But Netflix's Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria thinks otherwise, as she believes that "Stranger Things" fans will be happy with seeing it exclusively on the streaming service (via Variety):

"A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched 'Stranger Things' on Netflix [...] 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."

Considering they're still one of the biggest streaming platforms ever, it makes sense from Netflix's perspective to keep things in-house and not give any more attention to their competition. In actuality, it's been proven time and time again that everyone wins when streamers and movie theaters collaborate. Netflix just recently struck a deal with AMC Theaters to play "KPop Demon Hunters" during the upcoming Halloween weekend. This arrives in the wake of the Sing-Along version making $19.2 million in two days across 1,700 screens nearly two months after it was already available on Netflix. Subscribers could watch it as many times as they wanted at home, and yet, they paid money to see it on the big screen with people. So why say no to "Stranger Things?"

In addition to the monetary rewards, there's also the nature of community. "Stranger Things 5" is being billed as a massive event that a whole lot of people will be talking about. I remember seeing the series finale of "Breaking Bad" in a theater full of people back in 2013, and I couldn't have had a better experience. It would also look better on a theater screen than compressed on your television. I don't think Netflix's line of thinking will be this headstrong come the end of the year. If the finale is received positively, isn't as intensely divisive as the "Game of Thrones" ending, and sticks the landing with fans, there could be a course correction. Not to mention that it would likely incentivize subscribers to go home and rewatch it. It's like Netflix is allergic to money sometimes.

Volume 1 of "Stranger Things 5" will be available to stream on Netflix on November 26, 2025.