The Duffers Share Insights on Paramount Deal and Future Projects

In a revealing conversation at Variety‘s Entertainment and Technology Summit in Los Angeles, Matt and Ross Duffer, the creative minds behind the iconic series Stranger Things, discussed their recent move from Netflix to a four-year exclusive agreement with Paramount. Announced in August, this new partnership will allow the Duffers to create a range of feature films, television shows, and streaming content. The brothers cited their long-held aspiration to create original theatrical films as a key motivator for this transition.

Driving Passion for Theatrical Releases

Ross Duffer articulated their motivation by stating, “When Matt and I were talking about what we want to do next, it really came down to we wanted to do a movie, specifically an original movie — a big original film.” The opportunity for theatrical distribution was a significant factor in their decision-making process.

“It’s just something we dreamed about since we were little kids,” he added, underscoring their passion for cinema.

Focus on Original Content

While the brothers mentioned a keen interest in developing original films, they remain open to exploring existing properties under the Paramount banner. However, Matt Duffer emphasized that they would prefer stories with potential rather than relying on well-trodden intellectual properties (IPs). “The market is so flooded with IP and sometimes it’s like IP that doesn’t mean anything…I like IP that was botched. Someone swung and missed. Then you have an opportunity to do it properly,” he remarked.

Quality Over Quantity

Both Duffers reiterated their commitment to maintaining a high standard in their projects. They are not looking to churn out a high volume of shows or films, stating, “We don’t want to become like Bad Robot,” a reference to J.J. Abrams’ prolific production company. Instead, their approach focuses on identifying talented individuals and facilitating their visions, taking cues from how 21 Laps’ Shawn Levy assisted them during the inception of Stranger Things.

Shorter Seasons for Television

Upside Down Pictures plans to develop television series for Paramount that consist of “eight-to-10 episode seasons”, aiming for a more engaging format than traditional network shows. Matt Duffer expressed his fatigue with lengthy 20-episode seasons, stating, “If TV shows come out every year, it’s diminishing return…We only watched movies.” The goal is to create event series reminiscent of Stranger Things, to build anticipation.

Continued Collaboration with Netflix

Despite departing from Netflix for other projects, the Duffers are not closing the door on their previous partnership. They are set to produce two new series, The Boroughs and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, slated for a 2026 release. They are also working on an animated series titled Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 and a spinoff of Stranger Things — though they will not serve as showrunners for the latter.

Final Season Insights

With the final season of Stranger Things on the horizon, the Duffers remained tight-lipped about details but did share that the premiere will focus on the characters’ confrontation with Vecna. “This isn’t going about normal life, and then something supernatural happens to them, which is what we usually do,” Ross mentioned. The final season is structured in three parts, with episodes releasing during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and concluding on December 31.

Behind-the-Scenes Anecdotes

As discussions turned to the post-production phase of Stranger Things, Ross revealed a humorous anecdote about the final shot, involving an elusive GI Joe lunchbox. “It’s a close-up of a lunchbox, and we could not find it for the life of us,” he explained, highlighting the peculiarities of production. “That was the last shot we ever shot on Stranger Things, a lunchbox on the floor,” he quipped.