According to The Streamable, Netflix’s hit sci-fi series Stranger Things will break with its long-standing tradition by sending its feature-length series finale to select movie theaters across the United States. The move marks a rare theatrical rollout for a Netflix original series, underscoring the massive popularity of the streaming giant’s flagship show.

As stated by The Streamable, the news was first reported by Puck News, whose What I’m Hearing newsletter revealed that Netflix is partnering with AMC Theatres and other chains to bring the highly anticipated final episode to the big screen. The Stranger Things finale is slated to hit theaters on December 31, the same day it premieres on Netflix. The event-style release will give fans a chance to watch the conclusion of the Hawkins saga together, though Netflix’s theatrical runs are traditionally limited in duration. mxdwn previously reported that the final season is separated into three parts. Part one premieres with three episodes on November 26, with part two arriving with three more episodes on Christmas Day.

Noted by The Streamable, the report comes just days after Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria appeared to downplay the possibility of a theatrical release. Speaking with Variety, Bajaria said, “I think releasing ‘Stranger Things’ on Netflix is giving the fans what they want.” Her statement technically remains accurate, the episode will still debut on the platform as scheduled  but the news of the cinema screenings adds a fresh twist to the rollout.

According to The Streamable, created by twin brothers Matt and Ross Duffer (The Boroughs, Wayward Pines), Stranger Things has been a cornerstone of Netflix’s original programming since 2016, blending supernatural horror, 1980s nostalgia, and emotional storytelling. The cast includes Millie Bobby Brown (Enola Holmes, Godzilla vs. Kong), David Harbour (Black Widow, Violent Night), Winona Ryder (Beetlejuice, Girl, Interrupted), and Finn Wolfhard (It, Ghostbusters: Afterlife). New additions to the cast this season include Linda Hamilton (Beauty and the Beast, The Terminator), Nell Fisher (Evil Dead Rise, My Life Is Murder), Jake Connelly (Between the Silence), and Alex Breaux (The Dead Don’t Hurt, Waco: The Aftermath).

As outlined in The Streamable, Netflix has historically reserved theatrical releases for select high-profile films such as Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and The Power of the Dog. The streamer’s decision to bring Stranger Things to theaters for its finale demonstrates both confidence in the show’s enduring fanbase and an evolving approach to event-style releases.

The Stranger Things series finale is expected to close out the story of Eleven and her friends as they face their final confrontation with Vecna and the Upside Down. Fans can catch the episode in theaters and on Netflix beginning December 31, as reported by The Streamable.