While some of us were at home watching Eleven and crew fight to the death in a scene that was somewhere between Hellraiser and Wild Wild West, dedicated fans flocked to theaters to see the Stranger Things finale, instead. The last instalment of Netflix’s flagship show had a limited theatrical release on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, during which audiences gasped at Steve (Joe Keery) taking a tumble and cheered when Joyce Byers took a final swing at Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower). While it didn’t actually have any tickets to sell, theaters applied a workaround that still brought in a commendable bit of cash for the television show, which made its rare appearance in cinemas.
Deadline revealed that “Chapter Eight: The Rightside Up” brought in over $25 million from concession sales, with 620 listed locations providing concession vouchers to reserve fans' seats. AMC Cinemas, for example, charged $20 for concession vouchers that gave buyers a spot in theaters for the big event. The offer was planned because Netflix did not have deals in place with the show's cast for box-office residuals. As a result, no tickets could be sold; however, popcorn by the truckload could be dished out, along with enough soda to see even a Mind Flayer take a bathroom break.
