Stranger Things Finale Tickest Go on Sale, Runtime Confirmed

It's time for Stranger Things fans to make their New Year's Eve plans, as tickets to watch the Stranger Things series finale in theaters are now on sale. Netflix launched a website with details on which theaters will show the episode, letting fans RSVP for seats and snacks. It also confirmed the feature-film-length episode's runtime of 2 hours and 5 minutes.

But don't worry if your local theater isn't one of the more than 500 participating in the Stranger Things finale theatrical release, or if you're not inclined to visit a movie theater. There will be no threat of spoilers as the Stranger Things finale will debut simultaneously in theaters and on Netflix on Dec. 31 at 5 p.m. PT/8 p.m. ET.

Similarly, if you have other plans for New Year's Eve but a comparatively open New Year's Day, there's good news for you as well. The Stranger Things finale will continue playing in theaters through New Year's Day, Jan. 1, 2026, so there are plenty of opportunities for Stranger Things fans to ring in the new year by saying goodbye to the 1980s in the grandest possible way.

Netflix's decision to put the Stranger Things finale into theaters came as a bit of a surprise, as Netflix has been staunchly against giving its original shows theatrical releases, even stating outright that there would be no theatrical Stranger Things event. It seems, however, that the Duffer Brothers, the creators of Stranger Things, were able to convince them that this brief, limited theatrical engagement would be worthwhile.

This news comes after the release of the first four Stranger Things Season 5 episodes last week, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. A second batch of episodes will arrive on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, ahead of the series finale on New Year's Eve.

Stranger Things Fans Prepare for the End

The hype for Stranger Things Season 5 has been building all year as it ends a four-year hiatus for Netflix's beloved sci-fi series. That came to a head days before the Stranger Things Season 5 premiere, with all four previous Stranger Things seasons returning to Netflix's Top 10 list. That's a first for any show that the streaming platform has produced.

That said, not everyone has loved the first four episodes of Stranger Things' final season as much as they did the previous installments. Stranger Things Season 5 earned the show's lowest Rotten Tomatoes score ever, but 84% is still a strong showing, and there's a chance that future episodes will improve that number.

While the main Stranger Things series is coming to a cinematic end, the Stranger Things universe will persist and expand, even as creators Ross and Matt Duffer leave Netflix. Several new projects are in the works, including the upcoming Stranger Things: Tales from '85 animated series, the mysterious live-action Stranger Things spinoff, and possibly the rumored but unconfirmed Stranger Things: Tokyo anime. If you need a dose of new Stranger Things today, the Nancy Wheeler spinoff just dropped today.

Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 is now streaming on Netflix.