Netflix announces an additional 150 theaters will show "Stranger Things" finale

The fandom down deed sci-fi bid “Stranger Things” is simply a unit to beryllium reckoned with. Netflix said Tuesday that the show’s astir two-hour finale volition beryllium disposable for viewing successful 150 much theaters than antecedently announced.

The past occurrence to the sci-fi show’s last play volition beryllium released connected Netflix Dec. 31 and successful much than 500 theaters successful the U.S. connected Dec. 31 and Jan. 1. Previously, the streamer said it would beryllium successful much than 350 theaters.

While Netflix has brought amusement episodes to theaters successful the past, it mostly releases galore of them connected its streaming service. Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said successful an interrogation past period that the determination to bring the “Stranger Things” finale to theaters came aft a speech with the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, and “we thought it was a truly amusive mode to eventize it.”

“You tin ticker it astatine home, you tin spell retired to the theatre and ticker that past occurrence ... it has astonishing cinematic scale,” Bajaria said.

The Duffer brothers told Netflix’s Tudum that bringing the finale to theaters is “something we’ve dreamed astir for years.”

“Getting to spot it connected the large screen, with unthinkable sound, picture, and a country afloat of fans, feels similar the cleanable — situation we accidental bitchin’ — mode to observe the extremity of this adventure,” they said.

Already, enthusiasm for the amusement has been tremendous. Analytics steadfast Samba TV estimated that 39% of U.S. households that had watched astatine slightest 1 occurrence of “Stranger Things” play 5, had binged each 4 disposable episodes wrong the archetypal 48 hours. Netflix declined to remark connected Samba’s data.

After the archetypal 4 episodes of play 5 were released past Wednesday astatine 5 p.m., Netflix connected TV devices were down for a fewer minutes.

The adjacent 3 episodes volition beryllium released connected Christmas Day, followed by the finale connected Dec. 31.

The show’s 4th play ranks arsenic the 3rd most-viewed English connection bid connected the work successful its archetypal 3 months, generating 140.7 cardinal views, according to Netflix.

The show’s throwback to the 1980’s and its themes of relationship and escapade struck a chord with planetary audiences. It has go 1 of the astir fashionable franchises wrong Netflix and helped propel the streamer’s concern successful unrecorded events and branding opportunities.

On Tuesday, Netflix announced galore marque partnerships and user products with assorted retailers, including a KFC Stranger Things Burger and Stranger Wings successful the U.K., a 2,593-piece Lego acceptable and a Care Bears collaboration wherever Grumpy Bear is dressed arsenic a Demogorgon. Marian Lee, Netflix’s main selling officer, said successful a connection that it was “the largest postulation of products and experiences successful ‘Stranger Things’ past and 1 of our biggest campaigns yet.” Netflix has astatine slightest 100 user merchandise collaborations worldwide related to “Stranger Things’” last season, according to a idiosyncratic acquainted with the substance who declined to beryllium named.

“For astir a decade, the Stranger Things franchise has made an undeniable taste interaction and leaves a lasting legacy,” Lee said.

In summation to “Stranger Things” merchandise, Netflix has hosted instrumentality events astir the show, including a motorcycle thrust successful collaboration with non-profit CicLAvia connected Melrose Avenue connected Nov. 23, wherever much than 50,000 fans participated and were encouraged to formal up successful 80’s attire oregon arsenic “Stranger Things” characters.