It’s only been a few months since the Upside Down mystery was solved, but Matt and Ross Duffer — known collectively as the Duffer Brothers — aren’t resting on their laurels just yet. The filmmaking duo behind Stranger Things has unveiled the first images from their upcoming sci-fi project, The Boroughs, along with a release date.
The eight-part series will debut on Netflix on 21 May, with the Duffers serving as executive producers. Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, both of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance fame, are the creators, while Ben Taylor (Sex Education) is set to helm multiple episodes. Other directors include Augustine Frizzell and Kyle Patrick Alvarez.
“In a seemingly perfect retirement community, a grieving newcomer’s monstrous encounter inspires him to join a misfit crew of unlikely heroes who uncover a dark secret that proves their ‘golden years’ are more dangerous, and they are more formidable than anyone expects,” reads the official logline for The Boroughs. Well, stranger things have happened.
As previously announced, Alfred Molina (Spider-Man films), Geena Davis (Grey’s Anatomy), Alfre Woodard (12 Years a Slave), Bill Pullman (The Sinner), Denis O’Hare (American Horror Story), and Clarke Peters (Harriet) will star in the show, which borrows heavily from a classic comedy-drama film.
“For years, we’ve wondered why no one has made a film like Ron Howard’s wonderful Cocoon since, well, Cocoon,” said the Duffer Brothers. Then, out of nowhere, Jeff and Will emailed us an idea for The Boroughs: a story about retirees and monsters. They were adamant that — unlike so many stories about older characters — this wouldn’t treat ageing as a punchline. Instead, it would treat its characters as real people facing real challenges…along with a few supernatural ones. It was exactly the show we’d been dreaming of.”
They continued, “While the characters are a little older than the kids in Stranger Things, the spirit is very much the same. At its core, this is a story about belonging and growing up — no matter your age — filled with adventure, wonder, comedy, scares, and tears. And most importantly, you’re going to fall in love with these characters.”
Not that Stranger Things is going anywhere, with the animated Tales of ’85 spin-off coming to Netflix on 23 April. The Boroughs will follow with a premiere on 21 May, as the pair continues work on their other projects, such as Something Very Bad Is Going To Happen.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
