A Simple Plan to Save 'Stranger Things' from Hollywood's Tired Franchise Trap

"The AMC Kips Bay in New York City listed 11 screenings as "almost full" on New Year's Eve alone. (There are New Year's Day showings, as well.) The 34th Street theater filled up nine screenings, and Lincoln Square had five showings nearing capacity. The same demand was seen on the opposite coast in Los Angeles, where The Grove packed the house for seven screenings, the Century City AMC had eight, and Universal CityWalk turned out 11. Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, and more cities where the finale is playing saw similar demand, and all of these sales took place days before showtime."

"Now, this may not be surprising to some of you - "Stranger Things" is one of the most-watched properties on Netflix and has been for nearly a decade - but it took me off guard. So much of the discussion (online and off) around the last few seasons has skewed negative - egregious episode lengths, repetitive storytelling, lackluster thrills - I forgot that the silent majority either still likes what they're seeing or likes it enough to keep tuning in."

"Even so, it's one thing to get people to watch at home for the cost of a monthly subscription, and - as many a studio executive will tell you - it's quite another to get people to go out to a theater and buy a ticket. That thousands of people will ring in the new year by watching TV at their local cineplex - despite its simultaneous availability at home, on the same platform where fans have watched every other episode - tells us just how popular the series remains."

Select theatrical screenings of the Stranger Things finale sold large numbers of tickets across major U.S. markets, with New York and Los Angeles venues reporting multiple near-capacity showings and similar demand in Chicago, Dallas, and Philadelphia. Many of these sales occurred days before showtime, even though the finale was available simultaneously on home streaming. Strong theater turnout indicates continued audience interest in the franchise and a willingness to pay for communal viewing experiences. This demand persists despite notable online criticism of recent seasons. Netflix may not disclose box-office results for the limited theatrical run.

Read at IndieWire