Nearly a decade after the series first premiered and three years after Season 4, Stranger Things is finally returning on November 26 for the first part of its fifth and final season. At long last, audiences are on the cusp of finding out how each of their favorite characters’ stories will end, whether it be in tragedy or triumph. The series finale is already shaping up to be one of the biggest events in Netflix’s history, for many different reasons.
Stranger Things Season 5 will take the form of eight feature-length episodes split into three volumes, with the first four episodes premiering just before Thanksgiving, three more on December 25, and the finale coming out on New Year’s Eve. Major names are attached to the season, including The Walking Dead’s Frank Darabont, Deadpool & Wolverine’s Shawn Levy, and the show’s original creators, The Duffer Brothers. All of this would be enough to get audiences excited about the final episodes, but the latest reveal is so much bigger. Given the latest reports, the final episode of Stranger Things will not only make franchise history but may change the way Netflix releases original content forever.
Stranger Things Will Make Netflix History
The latest update reveals that the final season of Stranger Things won’t be exclusive to Netflix, as the four previous seasons have been. After Volume 1 releases in November and Volume 2 in December, the Stranger Things finale will get a theatrical release simultaneous to its Netflix debut. The two-hour final episode will play in about 350 theaters around the country on December 31st, giving hardcore fans an opportunity to witness the epic conclusion to the Duffer Brothers’ hit series on the big screen. This marks the first time that Stranger Things has made it to theaters in the nine years since its debut. The series also becomes the first Netflix original television series to graduate from the small screen to the big. While the theatrical rollout for the final episode of Stranger Things will be extremely limited, this is a major step in a new direction for Netflix and streaming services in general.
Stranger Things Season 5 makes Netflix history as one of only a few original projects from the streaming giant to play in theaters. Except for Apple TV, which has utilized a hybrid method of releasing original films that involves streaming-only premieres and exclusively theatrical events, streamers in general have been hesitant to partner with theaters. Netflix has been particularly resistant to the theatrical release model, earning criticism over the years for refusing to show Oscar-worthy films like Roma in theaters even after their success at the Academy Awards. Now, Netflix seems to be overcoming this hesitancy. Stranger Things playing in theaters is particularly surprising given its status as a television series. It is rare for any episode of even the most popular television series to receive a limited theatrical run, let alone a series that serves as the crown jewel of a streaming giant like Netflix. However, given the considerable anticipation behind Stranger Things’ final season and the feature-length episodes that were produced with budgets on the same scale as a movie, the series finale will most likely work very well on the big screen. In so doing, Stranger Things could represent the end of an era for Netflix as the original streamer begins to embrace more theatrical releases moving forward.
