I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go back to the Upside Down for one final time. (Or, I guess three final times, if you count the three parts that make up Stranger Things Season 5.) The final season of the Netflix hit is hitting the streaming service starting next month, with Volume 1 dropping on Nov. 26, Volume 2 on Dec. 25, and the final series finale on Dec. 31. But Netflix isn’t the only place you can watch the series finale. The Stranger Things Season 5 finale will play in select theaters nationwide. Yep, you read that right.
The Stranger Things finale, aptly named “The Rightside Up,” will be a two-hour theatrical event released on Dec. 31 that will play on both Netflix and at more than 350 select theaters around the country, according to Variety. The creators of Stranger Things, Matt and Ross Duffer, said the move just made sense considering the level of production that went into the series’ conclusion. Matt Duffer told Variety, “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.” The thought of staring at Vecna in a movie theater at that size and volume just sent a chill down my spine. Yikes.
If you want all the details about the Stranger Things Season 5 finale in theaters, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s everything we know so far, from Netflix and the Duffer brothers themselves.
How To See The Stranger Things Season 5 Finale In Theaters
Unfortunately, watching the final part of Stranger Things won’t be as easy as strolling up to your local theater and buying a ticket. According to Variety, the series finale will play at more than 350 theaters across the country, but Netflix hasn’t released the exact names and locations of those theaters just yet.
Plus, there is a very reduced theatrical window for “The Rightside Up.” A movie is usually in theaters for a period of about a month or two, but for the Stranger Things finale, it’ll only be in theaters from Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET through Jan. 1, 2026. That means you’ll have a little more than 24 hours to make it to the theater nearest you that’s playing it, so you better block off your New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day plans right now.
Will Stranger Things Season 5 Still Stream On Netflix?
Of course! The streamer will still release the entirety of Stranger Things Season 5 — all three volumes/parts — on their respective release dates, and that includes the two-hour series finale. The finale playing in movie theaters is just an extra added bonus for fans who want to see Hawkins for the last time on the big screen. I know I do.