The highly anticipated fifth season of Stranger Things will close out the beloved science-fiction/horror show’s run, marking the conclusion of an era. Now, however, that acclaimed show isn’t all that’s coming to an end as far as the streamer is concerned. Matt and Ross Duffer – the creators of ST – are officially leaving Netflix and headed for Paramount. While the deal signifies an exciting new step for the Duffers from a creative standpoint, it leaves me concerned about potential Stranger spinoffs for one reason.
The Duffer Brothers Agree To A Deal With Paramount
Up until this point, it had only been reported that the Duffer Brothers were planning to exit Netflix, though now it’s been confirmed. THR reports that the famous siblings inked a four-year deal with Paramount (which recently merged with Skydance) that’ll encompass TV, film and streaming productions. However, it’s said that the Duffers are most excited about the prospect of being able to “write, produce, and direct large-scale theatrical films.” Matt and Ross released a statement in which they expressed their excitement about the deal:
We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Paramount family. David, Josh [Greenstein], and Dana [Goldberg] are passionate about bringing bold, original films to the big screen. To be part of that mission is not just exciting — it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. To do so at a studio with such a storied Hollywood legacy is a privilege we don’t take lightly. We’re also excited to reunite with our friends Cindy and Matt, who were among the very first to believe in us and an unusual little script we wrote that became Stranger Things. They took a chance on us in 2015, and they’re taking a chance again — we can’t wait to create new stories together.
The Duffers also shouted out Netflix, thanking the leadership team for their support and calling their tenure – which will end when their current deal expires in April 2026 – “incredible.” Paramount will allow the brothers the opportunity to develop new IPs, which will be produced through their Upside Down Pictures production banner. While I’m excited by the prospect of the Duffers being able to move on to new endeavors, I am concerned about what this means for the proposed Stranger Things spinoffs.
Why I'm Concerned About Stranger Things Spinoffs
As it stands, aside from Stranger Things Season 5, the Duffers have two other confirmed shows still happening at Netflix. Those productions are the wild-sounding sci-fi series The Boroughs and horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen. Also, an animated ST spinoff has been ordered, and it’s been alleged that more offshoots are on the way. However, as noted by THR, Matt and Ross Duffer will only serve as executive producers on any future installments in the franchise, meaning they’ll likely have less creative input.
One of the major reasons why the Duffers’ massive IP has been so successful is because of the amount of time and effort they personally put into making it work. Not only are they the creators of Stranger Things but, across all five seasons, they’ve written and directed episodes as well. As executive producers on future shows, it’s very likely that the Duffers won’t be involved in the day-to-day work that would go into any of the shows. The fact that the pair have their sights set on making big movies makes me even less optimistic about the chances of them being heavily involved in Stranger shows.
In terms of the content of the Stranger Things spinoffs themselves, one of them is the animated show subtitled Tales from ‘85, which sees the characters fighting off new monsters in the town of Hawkins, Indiana. That show is set to debut sometime in 2026. As for the live-action spinoff, details on that are scarce at the moment. However, cast member Finn Wolfhard has already sussed out the Duffers idea, and he’s even correctly compared it to Twin Peaks.
We’ll just have to wait and see what lies ahead for the Stranger Things franchise without any heavy involvement from the Duffer Brothers. More immediately, make sure you have a Netflix subscription, so you’ll be able to stream Season 5, Part 1 when it drops on November 26 amid the 2025 TV schedule.
