In an unprecedented move that offered a unique New Year's farewell, Netflix's immensely popular series "Stranger Things" concluded its five-season run by engaging audiences not only on streaming but also in cinemas. Over the New Year's weekend, movie theaters across the country screened the super-sized, two-hour finale, drawing significant crowds and generating between $25 million to $28 million in earnings, as reported by sources close to Variety. This theatrical release marked a significant moment for both the streaming giant and traditional exhibitors, occurring during a "robust holiday season" that followed a broadly "disappointing year" for cinemas. While domestic ticket sales for the preceding calendar year (presumably 2025, based on the input) reached approximately $8.9 billion – a modest 1.5% increase over the "middling" 2024 results but still well below the pre-COVID benchmark of $11 billion – the holiday period, bolstered by events like the "Stranger Things" screenings and successes such as “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” “The Housemaid,” and “Marty Supreme,” offered a hopeful close to the year.

The unique theatrical run saw varied ticket pricing strategies across different cinema chains. For instance, AMC and Cinemark offered tickets at $20, which included a concession voucher, while Regal Cinemas and other circuits opted for an $11 price point, a playful nod to the character Eleven played by Millie Bobby Brown. The Duffer Brothers, creators of the '80s fantasy adventure homage, announced earlier in the week that an impressive 1.1 million vouchers had been sold for the screenings. A major contributor to these figures was AMC, which alone reported generating $15 million from over 753,000 attendees who purchased food and beverage credits. Given that AMC operated slightly more than one-third of the total participating theaters, these numbers underscore the strong demand for seeing the finale on the big screen.

Historically, Netflix has maintained a complex relationship with traditional movie exhibitors, primarily due to its refusal to adhere to conventional theatrical windows, which typically mandate a period of exclusive cinema release before a film becomes available on home entertainment platforms. This stance has often led to cinemas declining to show some of the streamer's movies. Furthermore, concerns have been raised within the industry regarding Netflix’s potential acquisition of Warner Bros., with fears that such a move could further shorten the interval between a film’s theatrical debut and its streaming release.

However, recent statements suggest a thawing of this strained relationship. AMC chief Adam Aron hinted at a more collaborative future, stating that the streamer is exploring more avenues to showcase its content on the big screen. Aron expressed enthusiasm for future collaborations, noting, “At AMC, our company is excited about the prospect of taking more Netflix content to theater-goers, and I might add that the working relationship between the two companies in our two recent projects has been easy, creative, and seamless.” He further added that both companies have "actively commenced discussing what additional Netflix programming can be shown on AMC’s giant screens,” indicating a promising shift towards increased partnerships that could redefine how streaming content interacts with the cinematic experience.