‘Stranger Things’ finale generates over $25million in box office following New Year’s screenings
The epic finale of Stranger Things came, ate, and absolutely left no crumbs. While it undoubtedly broke chart records for Netflix, the groundbreaking sci-fi series didn’t really stop at that.
According to a recent Deadline report, citing sources, the Stranger Things finale has amassed well over $25million, possibly even $30m, in concession cash to movie theatres over its New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day play.
Of that alleged sum, $15million was reportedly garnered by the number one circuit, AMC Theatres, which recorded an attendance of 753,000. The highest-grossing film of the season, 20th Century Studios’ Avatar: Fire and Ash, comparatively generated a combined $23.7m over New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day play.
Since the exhibition couldn’t put a price on the tickets to this Netflix event, considering the cast’s contractual terms for residuals, the streamer and the theatre circuits reserved seats with concession vouchers. The concession vouchers at AMC theatres were priced at $20 per seat. For those unaware, AMC also had over a third of the total theatre count showing Stranger Things, having screened the finale at 231 locations.
Subsequently, AMC estimates that over half of all Stranger Things fans who watched the finale in theatres did so at an AMC location. The series finale screened at over 620 locations, and series co-creators, the Duffer Brothers, announced two days before the finale could play in theatres that 1.1million seats were sold. The figure alone puts it ahead of KPop Demon Hunters RSVPs, which were 700m before its two-day play in late August.
However, AMC, the number one circuit in theatres, didn’t play the animated musical during that run, which culminated in $19m for the exhibitors, giving Netflix its first number one ranking title at the weekend box office. This could make the Stranger Things finale the new number one title at the box office, although not on a weekend. Then again, it’s not box office, but concession cash, which the theatres get to keep and aren’t required to share like a regular studio film rental.
Exhibition clearly wants Netflix to invest more into theatrical runs, and the streaming giant will have to adhere to contractual obligations to directors once they complete their acquisition of Warner Bros. As Deadline puts it, “Stranger Things finale is something of an olive branch to exhibition, and a means for Netflix to experiment, and dip their toes into the theatrical business.”
The Stranger Things finale began playing in theatres at 5pm EST on New Year’s Eve and continued throughout New Year’s Day. Although Netflix doesn’t report box office grosses or theatre chains’ concession revenue, AMC CEO Adam Aron said in a statement on January 2nd, “A few months ago, we announced that in September of 2025, a high-level dialogue between AMC and Netflix led to both companies pledging to explore ways to visibly begin working together.”
This led to the Halloween comeback of KPop Demon Hunters, which had AMC counting for over 35% of the attendance on that holiday weekend. This was followed by the Stranger Things finale screening on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day in 231 of its US theatres, which reportedly saw “more than 753,000 Stranger Things fans” flocking to an AMC theatre to join the celebrations. While the journey for the show may have reached a finish line, the show has clearly turned a new page for Netflix, and it shows.