Stranger Things: The Complete Series To Be Released On 4K Blu-Ray By Heaven

Here’s a day I never thought would come. Back when Netflix first started making originals, they produced physical releases for them…up until around the turn of the decade. The first and second seasons of Stranger Things saw release on DVD and Blu-Ray as Target exclusives, housed in faux weathered VHS rental boxes. The last thing they ever did was release the third season as an FYC mailing to Emmy voters and the press, but not to the direct market (yes, I know this because I have one).

I figured Netflix just didn’t do this anymore, nor allow it, and the only way to obtain a solid Internet-free library of episodes would forever be the high seas. I’m happy to say I figured wrong. This morning Arrow Video revealed a glorious collection of Stranger Things: The Complete Series in both 1080 and 4K formats, with a mind-flaying array of bonus content. Just look at this:

“We always dreamed that Stranger Things could be owned in its entirety,” say Matt and Ross Duffer. “Not just as a collector’s set, but as a way to preserve the show for decades to come.”

Like a lot of things these days, Stranger Things: The Complete Series will be sold in both standard and deluxe editions. The standard edition, shown below, will be housed in a plain sleeve emblazoned with the logo and containing five cases with double-sided reversible art. Plus all this:

• High-Definition (1080p) Blu-ray / 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation of all forty-two episodes across five series and twenty-five discs
• Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround and stereo audio for all episodes plus Dolby Atmos for Seasons 4 & 5
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Optional audio description tracks
• Interviews with the cast and crew
• Behind-the-scenes featurettes
• Set tours
• Bloopers

But the deluxe edition, shown above, includes that and adds this on top:

• Deluxe packaging including brand new wraparound box artwork by Juan Ramos
• Palace Arcade alloy-zinc coin-token
• Self-adhesive Hellfire Club patch
• Exclusive Hellfire Club d20 dice
• Twenty-five art cards from all five seasons
• Five double-sided posters featuring original artwork by Kyle Lambert
• Reversible sleeves featuring brand new artwork by Juan Ramos and original artwork by Kyle Lambert
• Double-sided fold-out Hawkins map
• 148-page perfect-bound artbook including original design sketches, concept art, storyboards and new writing on the making of the series from the Duffer Brothers, Shawn Levy, Andrew Stanton, Kyle Dixon, and more

The standard sets use the poster art seen on all the promo material, but the deluxe sets have art commissioned just for this release (Season 3’s cover is a big spoiler for those who haven’t seen Season 3). You could also get a fold-out map of Hawkins in the “Worlds Turned Upside Down” behind-the-scenes book from 2018. Worth mentioning if you’re the type who wants a map but not a set.

There appears to be even more stuff the bullet list doesn’t mention. The picture layout shows a Scoops Ahoy discount card, a Will Byers “Missing” flyer, and a…..some kind of form? It’s got the logo and a drawing of a Demogorgon on it and..it’s too blurry when blown up to tell what it really is. Our best guess is a D&D character sheet.

The one down side to all this is that none of it is cheap. The price starts at $180 for the basic Blu-Ray set and goes up from there. The standard 4K set is $200, the deluxe Blu-Ray set is $215 and the deluxe 4K set is $230. Since there isn’t much of a price difference between Standard and Deluxe, I guess the real deciding factor is if you want all the physical extras or not.

Well, I want this yesterday, but Arrow doesn’t begin to ship them until July 28. If you’re less of a fan and more on the fence, that gives you time to think.