After over 10 years at Netflix, Stranger Things creators Ross and Matt Duffer might be ditching the streamer – and our Hawkins-loving selves can't help but worry what that means for Tales from '85 and the show's spin-offs.
According to Deadline, the duo are eyeing a deal over at Paramount Plus that would include working on both TV shows and "features with a big theatrical component." Despite the creation of Upside Down Pictures, described as a film and television production company, over at Netflix in July 2022, the twosome has yet to develop any movies, which may make the rival collaboration more exciting.
Another motivation to jump ship could be loyalty to Paramount's Chair of Direct-to-Consumer Cindy Holland, who championed Stranger Things back when she was Netflix's Head of English-language original series. "Ted Sarandos, Cindy Holland, Brian Wright and Matt Thunell took a huge chance on us and our show — and forever changed our lives," the Duffers said back in 2019.
While they've not got plans for a flick under Upside Down Pictures, the Duffer Brothers currently have Tales from '85, an animated Stranger Things series, as well as another live-action spin-off in the works – and adaptations of hit anime Death Note and Peter Straub and Stephen King's novel The Talisman, too.
Little is known about Tales from '85 aside from its title so far, but it can't be a coincidence that it's set during the same year Indiana's Starcourt Mall was built... and burned down following Eleven and co's explosive battle with the Mind Flayer.
"We've always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling," Matt and Ross Duffer, who are credited as producers, previously told Tudum. "We couldn't be more blown away by what [showrunner] Eric Robles and his team have come up with – the scripts and artwork are incredible, and we can't wait to share more with you! The adventure continues…"
Season 4 of Stranger Things was set in March 1986, while the next batch of episodes reportedly takes place in the fall of 1987, so the spin-off is definitely going to plug some gaps from those earlier years.
Stranger Things is streaming now on Netflix. While we wait for Stranger Things season 5 to premiere on November 26, check out our picks of the best Netflix shows for some viewing inspiration.
