The fandom behind hit sci-fi series “Stranger Things” is a force to be reckoned with. Netflix said Tuesday that the show’s roughly two-hour finale will be available for viewing in 150 more theaters than previously announced.
The last episode to the sci-fi show’s final season will be released on Netflix Dec. 31 and in more than 500 theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Previously, the streamer said it would be in more than 350 theaters.
While Netflix has brought show episodes to theaters in the past, it generally releases many of them on its streaming service. Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said in an interview last month that the decision to bring the “Stranger Things” finale to theaters came after a conversation with the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, and “we thought it was a really fun way to eventize it.”
“You can watch it at home, you can go out to the theater and watch that last episode … it has amazing cinematic scale,” Bajaria said.
The Duffer brothers told Netflix’s Tudum that bringing the finale to theaters is “something we’ve dreamed about for years.”
“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,” they said.
Already, enthusiasm for the show has been tremendous. Analytics firm Samba TV estimated that 39% of U.S. households that had watched at least one episode of “Stranger Things” season 5, had binged all four available episodes within the first 48 hours. Netflix declined to comment on Samba’s data.
After the first four episodes of season 5 were released last Wednesday at 5 p.m., Netflix on TV devices were down for a few minutes.
The next three episodes will be released on Christmas Day, followed by the finale on Dec. 31.
The show’s fourth season ranks as the third most-viewed English language series on the service in its first three months, generating 140.7 million views, according to Netflix.
The show’s throwback to the 1980’s and its themes of friendship and adventure struck a chord with global audiences. It has become one of the most popular franchises within Netflix and helped propel the streamer’s business in live events and branding opportunities.
On Tuesday, Netflix announced many brand partnerships and consumer products with various retailers, including a KFC Stranger Things Burger and Stranger Wings in the U.K., a 2,593-piece Lego set and a Care Bears collaboration where Grumpy Bear is dressed as a Demogorgon. Marian Lee, Netflix’s chief marketing officer, said in a statement that it was “the largest collection of products and experiences in ‘Stranger Things’ history and one of our biggest campaigns yet.” Netflix has at least 100 consumer product collaborations worldwide related to “Stranger Things’” final season, according to a person familiar with the matter who declined to be named.
“For nearly a decade, the Stranger Things franchise has made an undeniable cultural impact and leaves a lasting legacy,” Lee said.
In addition to “Stranger Things” merchandise, Netflix has hosted fan events around the show, including a bike ride in collaboration with non-profit CicLAvia on Melrose Avenue on Nov. 23, where more than 50,000 fans participated and were encouraged to dress up in 80’s attire or as “Stranger Things” characters.
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