This is the coolest part: the show made money for other companies, too. That $40 billion impact I mentioned? It includes a 20% boost in sales for 80s nostalgia brands. Eggo waffles saw a huge spike. Dungeons & Dragons kits flew off shelves. Even old school Dungeons & Dragons starter sets became hot items again.
And let’s not forget the music industry. When “Running Up That Hill” by Kate Bush hit the show in 2026, it became a global hit. The song earned Bush around $2.3 million in streaming revenue that year. The show breathed life into a 1985 track. That’s a weird, wonderful kind of power, isn’t it?
Movies vs. Streaming: A Fun Comparison
Let’s put it in perspective against a blockbuster movie. Avengers: Endgame made about $2.8 billion at the box office. That’s massive. But Stranger Things made that and more over time, from multiple revenue streams. It’s like a slow-burn monster compared to a one-time explosion.
Another comparison: the entire Star Wars franchise has made over $70 billion over 40 years. Stranger Things hit $40 billion in just seven years. That’s almost half of Star Wars in a fraction of the time. Not bad for a show that started with a kid on a bike and a missing boy.
How Much Money Has Stranger Things Made? Updated Figures & Details
