After turning the Netflix charts upside down, Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, known collectively as the Duffer Brothers, have their sights set on their next big break. The duo will write and direct a new, yet-to-be-titled instalment at Paramount, slated for theatrical release on 3 November 2028.
Plot details about the mysterious project are kept under lock and key, but the studio describes it as an event film. Their production banner, Upside Down Pictures, is developing what would be the siblings’ second full-length feature after 2015’s Hidden. From there, the Duffers spent the past decade working on and overseeing Stranger Things, which became Netflix’s first homegrown hit and broke numerous viewership records.
In the wake of the fifth and final season, the directing pair entered a four-exclusive pact for television, movie, and streaming titles at Paramount, with an emphasis on producing “ambitious” and “large-scale theatrical films.” The move to the silver screen doesn’t come as a surprise — the special screening for the series finale in North America drew 1.1 million RSVPs across more than 620 cinemas, and the chunky runtime leans more into theatrical presentation than the usual episodic format.
After concluding its run last December, the sci-fi title spawned the Tales of ’85 animated series, featuring a new voice cast for existing characters from the show, and a novel focusing on Natalie Dyer’s Nancy Wheeler. A secret spin-off expected to introduce a completely different story, setting, and cast of characters is also in the works.
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.
Kevin Low
