Summary
WhileStranger Thingsmight be coming to the end of its iconic run on Netflix, the wider franchise based on the Duffer Brother’s landmark show is only just getting started and the duo at the head of the charge have an update on their plans.
WithDavid Harbour vouching for the finalStranger Thingsseason’s satisfactory end, some fans are now turning their attention to what’s coming next while the wait for the final season continues. As detailed byThe Hollywood Reporter, the Duffers were on hand at the streamer’sNext on Netflixpress event, where they discussed what the future holds for the franchise and their other creative endeavors. “There are more Stranger Things stories to tell and in the works,” Matt assures fans. “It’s a bit early at this point to talk about them, but we’re deeply involved in every one — it’s very important to us that anything with the Stranger Things name on it is of the highest quality and not repetitive — that it has a reason to exist and always blazes its own path. And also, it needs to basically just be … awesome. Or we need to think it’s awesome. And there are a lot of what we think are awesome things in the pipeline.” While there’s no new confirmations about the specific spinoffs (other than theStranger Thingsplay titledThe First Shadow, which is currently being staged), the Duffers' resolve to be personally involved is certainly a good sign. The pair also discussed their two other Netflix projects, which fans ofStranger Thingswon’t want to be strangers to,The BoroughsandSomething Very Bad is Going to Happen. “Both shows encompass what we feel is at the core of Stranger Things, and that is that they’re stories about ordinary people who encounter the extraordinary.”
The more grounded of the two,Something Very Bad is Going to Happen,is set to follow a potential bride and groom in the week leading up to their wedding and touches on a very emotionally charged anxiety and dread that everyone will be able to relate to. One the more out there aspects of the show, Ross simply says, “We don’t want to say too much more about the story yet — but the title is accurate. Bad things do happen.” More interesting to fans ofStranger Thingswill beThe Boroughs,which has already secured some big stars in major roles. “Of the two projects,The Boroughsprobably shares the most DNA with Stranger Things because it’s about a group of misfits who fight an otherworldly evil,” Matt adds, referring to the show that’s beenunexpectedly described as a spiritual successor toStranger Thingsfrom the start. “Only unlike Stranger Things, it’s set in a retirement community, so that’s something different. This time our misfits are a little on the older side. They ride golf carts, not bikes. It stars Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Bill Pullman, and a host of other screen icons who we’re obsessed with. We’ve seen the first three episodes, and we’re really pumped about it. It’s fun, scary, and touching too, and we can’t wait for you to see it.”
Fans will have to wait and see how the new shows go, and they’re probably going to meet the same passion, skill, and gusto that the Duffers started onStranger Thingswith. As for the spinoffs, fans might have to manage their expectations on that front. There’s a laundry list ofStranger Thingsspinoffs that fans really want, and only so much time for the Duffers to create and oversee them. Additionally, not every single star that’s been a mainstay on the show for almost a decade now will want to return to the same franchise for more. With a cast that started off fairly young, there’s a good chance that they have career goals and aspirations beyond their first breakout role in mind. Even older stars like Harbour have expressed satisfaction with what they’ve managed to accomplish withStranger, which might not feel as conclusive and rose-colored if they come back for more in such short order. There will certainly be more adventures in theStranger Things,but fans would do well to prepare for more strangers’ faces than familiar ones.
While there will be some downtime between the end of the show and the Duffers’ upcoming projects, it helps a ton thatStranger Thingsis easily one of themost binge-worthy & rewatchable Netflix showsever. Fans can relive their best moments in Hawkins ahead of the planned expansions to the lore and universe and appreciate how the Duffers’ style lends itself to the genre ahead ofThe BoroughsandSomething Very Bad is Going to Happen hitting Netflix.
Stranger Thingsis available to stream on Netflix, with season five currently set to premiere in 2025.
