(NewsNation) — In a first for a Netflix original, the two-hour “Stranger Things” series finale will have a theatrical release on Dec. 31, 2025, and Jan. 1, 2026, the same time the episode drops on streaming.  

Netflix announced Thursday that the end of the long-running show will be shown at 350 theaters in the U.S. and Canada.  

“We’re beyond excited that fans will have the chance to experience the final episode of ‘Stranger Things’ in theaters — it’s something we’ve dreamed about for years, and we’re so grateful to Ted, Bela and everyone at Netflix for making it happen,”  the show’s creators, the Duffer Brothers, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.  

They added, “Getting to see it on the big screen, with incredible sound, picture and a room full of fans, feels like the perfect … way to celebrate the end of this adventure.” 

‘Stranger Things’ finale was planned to skip the silver screen 

The recent announcement that the show’s Season 5 finale will be released in theaters marks a significant change from a company executive’s earlier statement this month, which indicated that the finale would not be released in theaters. 

“A lot of people — a lot, a lot, a lot of people — have watched ‘Stranger Things’ on Netflix,” Netflix’s chief content officer Bela Bajaria told Variety. “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.”  

The final season of “Stranger Things” will be released in three parts: the first four episodes on Nov. 26, three episodes on Dec. 24 and the two-hour finale on New Year’s Eve.