Stranger Things finale makes over $25M

Stranger Things has proven that it can attract massive crowds outside of the living room. Following the series finale over the New Year’s holiday, movie theatres earned an estimated $25 million to $28 million, according to Variety.

Fans flocked to US theatres to bid farewell to the Upside Down during the two-hour final episode. Because ticket prices varied, exact numbers are challenging to verify; however, AMC and Cinemark were among the chains that sold $20 concession coupons, while Regal and others charged $11 for tickets in homage to Millie Bobby Brown’s character, Eleven.

Netflix has declined to comment on the box office performance, but creators Matt and Ross Duffer disclosed earlier this week that 1.1 million tickets were sold across the country. AMC alone, representing about one-third of participating theaters, recorded $15 million in revenue from over 753,000 patrons.

After a mixed year, exhibitors were relieved by the high attendance. Domestic box office receipts for the year were only slightly higher than in 2024—at approximately $8.9 billion—remaining well below pre-pandemic levels. However, momentum was boosted by late-year blockbusters like Ash and Avatar: Fire.

Stranger Things began in 2016 and concluded its five-season run on New Year’s Eve with a grand finale. This release marked a unique collaboration between Netflix and major theatre chains. Adam Aron, CEO of AMC, suggested that more could be on the horizon. “The working relationship has been easy, creative, and seamless,” he said, adding that discussions to release more Netflix content on the big screen are currently in progress.