STRANGER THINGS Showrunner Says The Theatrical Finale Is a Dream Come True, but Warns Fans They’ll “Cry in Front of Strangers”
Get ready to grab some popcorn, and maybe a box of tissues. The Stranger Things saga is coming to a close, and co-showrunner Ross Duffer has confirmed that the final episode will be screened in theaters.
This is something he’s wanted for years for the franchise, but he has one warning for fans before they buy their tickets… prepare to get emotional.
Taking to Instagram, Duffer shared the exciting update along with an image of the adorable drawing that Lucas and Max used to ask each other out in Stranger Things Season 4. He wrote:
“The finale. Theaters. New Year’s Eve. 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.”
It’s pretty cool that fans will be able to experience the Hawkins crew’s final showdown on the big screen. The Stranger Things Season 5 finale, which Matt Duffer previously revealed is “around two hours,” was originally expected to premiere exclusively on Netflix.
Even Netflix’s own chief content officer seemed to dismiss the idea of a theatrical release earlier this month, saying:
“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.”
Fortunately for fans (and the Duffer brothers), that plan has changed. Netflix will now partner with AMC and other theater chains across the U.S. to bring the finale to cinemas, giving the Stranger Things story the big sendoff it deserves.
Season 5 will see the return of Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, Winona Ryder, and David Harbour, along with a few new faces, including Terminator legend Linda Hamilton.
The final season of Stranger Things will be released in three parts on Netflix, landing on November 26, December 25, and December 31. So whether you’re streaming from your couch or catching the finale on the big screen, Hawkins is going out with a bang, and some tears.
Stranger Things started as a nostalgic love letter to the ‘80s, but it’s grown into a cultural juggernaut. Seeing its final moments unfold in theaters feels like the perfect way to say goodbye.