"Stranger Things" just broke a record. The latest installment of the hit series has been viewed more times than any other film or series on Netflix in the first four days since it was released, the company said.
The streaming giant said late Monday that 40.7 million households have been watching the third season of the sci-fi show since it hit the streaming platform on July 4, while 18.2 million have completed the entire season.
Created by brothers Matt and Ross Duffer, "Stranger Things" centers on four male friends who revel in playing the fantasy role-playing game "Dungeons and Dragons," and their encounters with a girl with telekinetic powers, an alternate dimension and the horrifying monsters that have seeped out of it.
Raymond James analyst Justin Patterson said the record viewership implies the show's new season has reached 26% of Netflix's global paid subscriber base, based on the 154 million subscribers the company was forecast to have by the second quarter.
"This illustrates that originals are resonating with consumers and finding value with binge viewing," Patterson said in a note Tuesday. "As content breadth and quality improve and drive more engagement, we see further pricing upside."
By contrast, the "Game of Thrones" finale reached 19 million viewers in the U.S. alone when it was first broadcast, according to HBO. But Patterson said "Stranger Things 3" could lure in more users as they return from summer vacations.
"Stranger Things 3," as the latest season is titled, has been accompanied with a huge advertising campaign, looking to tap into '80s nostalgia. The franchise is also being made into a mobile game, which is due to be released next year.