The Stranger Things Kids Gathered Together to Watch the Finale Together: See Photos from Inside the Screening

The Stranger Things cast and crew came together one last time to watch the series finale of their hit television show after five seasons. 

In new photos shared on social media, the stars of the hit Netflix series huddled up close at the Paris Theater in New York City to watch their years-long work come to an end.

“Watching the finale together was emotional, cathartic, and a little surreal, like the last day of summer camp, but with more tears and better lighting,” Cara Buono, who plays Karen Wheeler on the show, captioned a Wednesday, Dec. 31 Instagram carousel.

Karen Wheeler’s onscreen kids — Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) and Nancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) — appeared in the group photos. 

Noah Schnapp, Caleb McLaughlin, Sadie Sink, Gaten Matarazzo, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Jamie Campbell Bower and Maya Hawke were also seen in her post.

“I looked around the room at these ridiculous, brilliant humans, artists, my friends, my family and felt this wild rush of gratitude. For every single moment of it. Ten years of monsters, childhood, and magic,” Buono’s caption continued. 

“Thank you for loving this story the way we loved telling it. We may be done with Hawkins, but we’re forever bonded,” she added, promising that more BTS content would follow.

Ross Duffer, who created the series with his brother Matt, also shared a photo recap from their big gathering.

“Watched the finale with the cast who were in nyc for press a few weeks ago. It was an emotional and cathartic experience for all of us,” Ross wrote, with a photo similar to Buono’s cover shot.

“Hanging out afterwards, I looked around at all these incredible artists—laughing, crying, supporting one another—and felt so lucky that we remain so close, bonded by these ten years. While we’re finished telling this story, we are family now, forever,” he continued, thanking viewers for their support.

One cast member who was noticeably absent from the watch party was Millie Bobby Brown, who starred as series lead Eleven since the show debuted in July 2016.

A source told PEOPLE the 21-year-old new mom was “still home” with a dislocated shoulder, referring to an injury Brown revealed earlier this month when she explained her absence from Good Morning America.

Although she did not attend, the actress still supported her costars and “got a link to watch it at the same time” as her castmates, the source added.

The finale came in installments, which saw Volumes 1 and 2 arrive on Nov. 26 and Dec. 25, respectively.

Now that the sci-fi horror series has ended just shy of a decade, fans can still find new ways to love Stranger Things as several spin-offs are currently in the works. 

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

One to look forward to is Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, an animated series that was first announced in 2023, and set in Hawkins in the winter of 1985. Netflix unveiled a first look in November 2025.

According to the official logline, “the original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town.”