In a bizarre turn of events, it looks like the Stranger Things season 5 finale will now show in theatres after all, so you'd better cancel your New Year's Eve plans.
As reported by Puck's What I’m Hearing newsletter, the final episode is set to get a theatrical release in the US. "Now I can report that the two-hour Stranger Things series finale will debut in AMC and other theater chains on New Year’s Eve, the same day it drops on Netflix," reads the newsletter, which was published on October 20.
The news comes just days after Netflix's chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, told Variety that the season 5 finale would not get a theatrical run, despite its runtime reportedly nearing a feature-length movie at almost 2 hours. "I think releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want," said Bajaria.
Stranger Things creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer were involved in the same interview; however, it sounds as though the Duffer brothers wanted the finale to be seen on the big screen. "People don’t get to experience how much time and effort is spent on sound and picture, and they’re seeing it at reduced quality," said Matt Duffer. "More than that, it’s about experiencing it at the same time with fans."
So what changed? According to Puck, the big Variety interview, which also included quotes from cast and crew members, was conducted "weeks ago," meaning that the situation has since evolved, and no doubt more talks have taken place.
Although Netflix has yet to confirm the news, the theatrical release would make sense as some of the streamer's biggest projects this year have had theatrical runs, such as KPop Demon Hunters and Guillermo Del Toro's Frankenstein. Showing season finales in theaters is no new thing, as earlier this year, the last episode of Ncuti Gatwa's Doctor Who season 2 was available to watch on the big screen.
It is not clear at this point whether the season finale will be available to see in cinemas worldwide, or if this is just a US-only deal with AMC and other American cinema chains.
Stranger Things season 5 volume 1 arrives on Netflix on November 26, followed by volume 2 on December 25 and the final episode on December 31. For now, check out our guide to the other best shows on Netflix, and keep up with new TV shows heading your way.
