Fans who were lucky enough to secure tickets for the theatrical screening of the “Stranger Things” finale are now witnessing a surge in resale activity on social media platforms. The highly anticipated series conclusion will air on Netflix at 8 p.m. ET on New Year’s Eve, alongside select cinema showings in Canada and the United States.
Initially priced at $11 each, tickets included an $11 concession stand voucher due to talent residuals constraints. According to Cineplex, the primary host of Canadian screenings, tickets for the nationwide events sold out almost immediately, with only a few seats left at select theaters, as mentioned by Michelle Saba, Cineplex’s vice-president of communications.
Landmark Cinemas is also showcasing the finale, with seats nearly sold out across the country. This scarcity has led fans like Omar Hassanali of Mississauga, Ont., to scour Facebook Marketplace for available seats. Hassanali, hoping to share the experience with his family, expressed disappointment at the inflated resale prices, ranging from $25 to $200 per ticket.
Although some resellers have begun lowering prices to face value as the event approaches, others continue to list tickets at $50 to $100 each. This has sparked criticism from fans on platforms like Reddit, who have labeled the reselling as unfair and even reported some sellers.
While ticket resale is common in live music and sports events, it is less prevalent in the theater scene, noted Vass Bednar, managing director of the Canadian SHIELD Institute. The lack of reselling infrastructure within movie theaters, unlike platforms like Ticketmaster, contributes to this trend. Bednar highlighted the supply and demand dynamics, noting that reselling is limited to specialty events like a highly anticipated TV series finale.
Cineplex has implemented measures to mitigate ticket reselling, such as limits on the number of tickets per user, with plans to explore additional steps for fair access. However, Bednar mentioned more extreme measures, like tethering tickets digitally to prevent reselling, as possible but costly solutions. Legal actions against reselling, as seen in the U.K., are also influenced by ticketing companies operating reselling platforms.
After a persistent search, Hassanali managed to secure face value tickets for his family, eager to enjoy the event together. For those still seeking tickets, Cineplex advises checking for limited availability at the theater or considering watch parties at selected bars and restaurants across Canada.
