Netflix's (NFLX) teen-fueled sci-fi adventure "Stranger Things" returns Friday, May 27, for its final season, and a legion of fans will settle down this weekend to watch how it all shakes out for Eleven, Mike, and the rest of the motley crew.
The season arrives just in time for an ailing Netflix, which saw its stock plummet after reporting a first-quarter loss of 200,000 subscribers and forecasting that even more would be leaving in the future.
Naturally, since "Stranger Things" is one of Netflix's best-known shows, nothing less than a huge marketing push for the show's finale will do, cost be damned.
Spending speculation aside, Netflix's big event to celebrate the season 4 launch is extremely impressive. And if you happen to be in the right place at the right time this week, you can snap a selfie with a real live rift to the Upside Down.
Netflix/TS
How Is Netflix Promoting 'Stranger Things'?
On May 24 the official "Stranger Things" Twitter account posted coordinates on its account, teasing the first part of the puzzle.
Then, on May 25, the exclusive reveal came via IGN: The locations are part of a global fan event where people can find the red-edged rifts that "Stranger Things" fans know as passages into the Upside Down. That's the dark and frightening parallel dimension the heroes of the show have to cope with.
These are scheduled to take place at a few U.S. locations, including Xbox Plaza in downtown Los Angeles and the Empire State Building in New York.
Several of them are also set for international locations, such as Bondi Beach in Australia, Duomo Square in Milan, Cologne Media Park in Germany, the Gateway of India in Mumbai, Wawel in Krakow, Poland, Shoreditch in London, Gran Malecón de Barranquilla in Colombia, Menara Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia, Al-'Ula National Monument in Saudi Arabia, Calle Gran via 28 in Madrid, Medborgarplatsen Stockholm, and Tokyo.
"The New York City experience will begin with the mysterious clock from Season 4 counting down until 8:45 pm ET when a giant rift to the Upside Down will gradually emerge on the southern facade of the Empire State Building," IGN reported.
"Major moments from the series thus far and season 4 story lines will also be seen during the visual spectacle. The light show -- designed by renowned lighting designer Marc Brickman -- will last for 15 minutes and then be looped for roughly two hours."
The rifts will be created using a variety of technology, including projection mapping, playback technology, smoke machines, audio, and lighting.
All this takes place on May 26, so if you're near any of these locations, you can go watch the full spectacle unfurl.
And if not, you can bet social media will be all over it, so just keep an eye out to see the inevitable flood of photos, videos, and TikToks with people in the background saying "Whoa!"
