Hawkins fans, get ready for one last ride as Stranger Things hits theatres

Titled 'The Rightside Up', the climactic episode will also play in over 350 movie theatres across the US and Canada starting December 31 at 5 PM PT, perfectly timed with its global premiere on Netflix

Hawkins fans, the wait is almost over. In a first for Netflix, the streaming giant announced that the two-hour finale of its hit sci-fi series 'Stranger Things' will debut in theatres alongside its global streaming release.

 

Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, the fifth and final season will stream in three parts with a total of eight episodes.

 

Stranger Things Season 5 release schedule 

Netflix has unveiled a staggered release plan for Stranger Things 5:

 

Volume 1: November 26 (India: November 27, 6:30 am)

 

Volume 2: December 25 (India: December 26, 6:30 am)

 

Finale – The Rightside Up: December 31 (India: January 1, 2026, 6:30 am)

 

The final episode will screen in over 350 theatres across the US and Canada from December 31, 5 pm PT, coinciding with its Netflix premiere. Screenings will continue through January 1, letting fans ring in the new year in true Hawkins style.

 

“We’re beyond excited that fans will have the chance to experience the final episode of Stranger Things in theatres—it’s something we’ve dreamed about for years,” said creators Matt and Ross Duffer. “Viewing the finale on the big screen with fans will be a memorable way to conclude the story', they added.

 

Netflix said details on ticketing and theatre locations will be announced soon.

 

The story so far: Hawkins’ last stand

 

Season 5 begins in the fall of 1987, with Hawkins still reeling from the chaos unleashed by the Rifts. The group reunites with one goal — to find and destroy Vecna.

 

“Vecna has disappeared, and no one knows where he is or what he’s planning,” the official synopsis reads. “As the government imposes a military lockdown on Hawkins and hunts for Eleven, an ominous and familiar threat rises.”

 

The finale promises an epic showdown as Eleven and her friends unite one last time against a darkness “unlike anything they’ve faced before.”

 

Returning cast members include Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas), Noah Schnapp (Will), and Sadie Sink (Max), alongside new additions for the climactic battle.

 

Beyond the finale: A Hawkins celebration

 

Netflix has planned a series of fan experiences and themed events leading up to the finale, including:

 

• A Hawkins-style bike ride through Los Angeles
• Custom Funko Pop! figures featuring new Season 5 accessories
• Exclusive Stranger Things merchandise drops
• Special screenings of the Broadway play Stranger Things: The First Shadow during a week-long fan celebration in November

 

So, dust off your walkie-talkies and Dungeons & Dragons dice, Hawkins’ final battle is almost here, and this time, it’s coming to the big screen.