'Stranger Things' finale pulls in millions with limited theater run
The final season of Stranger Things, the hit sci-fi horror series from the Duffer Brothers, made a rare appearance in US theaters for just two days—right as it dropped on Netflix for New Year's Eve 2025.
Fans showed up big time: 1.1 million food and beverage vouchers were sold nationwide, and the screenings brought in $25-30 million from these concession sales.
AMC Theaters alone saw $15 million from over 750,000 patrons.
Netflix is shaking up how box office hits are measured
Instead of tracking ticket sales like everyone else, Netflix is counting concession sales to measure success—a move that hints at more Netflix titles hitting theaters soon.
AMC's CEO says talks are already underway for more collaborations.
There's also buzz that if Netflix buys Warner Bros., movies could get much shorter runs in theaters—just 17 days instead of the usual 45—which could totally change how we watch new releases on the big screen.