Truthfully, it’s kind of a tough slot for ST; Matt Belloni of Puck reports that the episode will probably screen on New Year’s Eve, which is not traditionally a “go to the movies” kind of holiday. (The episode will be shown at AMC and “other theater chains,” Puck claims.) Nevertheless, it fulfills the wish of the show’s creators, the Duffer brothers, who have said there’s small quality details that get lost when you watch the show on your TV. “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,” Matt Duffer told Variety while arguing in favor of showing the finale in theaters. “More than that, it’s about experiencing it at the same time with fans.”
Arguing against the theatrical release, Bajaria said in the same interview that Stranger Things “has not suffered from lack of conversation or community or sharing or fandom,” opining that “releasing it on Netflix is giving the fans what they want.” Of course, the finale will still be released on Netflix on New Year’s Eve too, so those fans can decide if they want to watch it on their couch or at the theater. Unfortunately, the softening of Netflix’s hard-line stance against theaters came too late to keep the Duffer brothers, who abandoned ship when Paramount promised them theatrical releases. Maybe losing talent over the theater issue was part of Netflix’s decision to mend fences with AMC. Whatever the case, it means you’ll now be able to see Eleven face her last demogorgon on the big screen.
