The Upside Down isn’t closing its gates simply but. Whereas followers are counting down the times till the fifth and closing season of Stranger Issues premieres, creators Matt and Ross Duffer are already engaged on a mysterious spinoff — they usually’ve been dropping hints about what’s to come back. Although the challenge has been confirmed since 2024, the brothers have stored the main points tightly below wraps. Right here’s every part they’ve shared to date, together with what it is going to (and received’t) connect with, once we would possibly see it, and what the “Strangerverse” may seem like.
Is It Linked to Any ‘Stranger Issues’ Characters?
Briefly — no. Don’t anticipate the spinoff to observe Eleven, Dustin, or the remainder of the Hawkins gang. In keeping with Matt and Ross, the brand new collection might be one thing fully separate.
As they defined in interviews for Selection’s October 15 cowl story, they’re wrapping up each main storyline in Season 5.
“We do each final remaining factor we wished to do with the Demogorgons and Thoughts Flayer and Vecna and the Upside Down and Hawkins and these characters,” Matt Duffer mentioned. “This can be a full story. It’s achieved.”
The brothers emphasised that the spinoff isn’t attempting to imitate a sprawling sci-fi franchise.
“It’s so totally different than one thing like Star Wars,” Matt defined. “It doesn’t actually work like that.”
As a substitute, the present will share the identical “model” and “model of storytelling” — assume youngsters, journey, and sci-fi/fantasy components — with out creating a very sophisticated mythology.
Ross elaborated: “They’re going to dwell in a little bit of a special world. There’s going to be connective tissue, however you’re virtually anthologizing in a manner. As a result of we’re not Star Wars. We will’t be like, ‘Oh, now we’re on this planet.’”
Matt added, “You’re simply too boxed in. It begins to get irritating from a storytelling perspective.”
When Will the Spinoff Come Out?
Whereas no official launch date has been introduced, Netflix’s chief inventive officer Bela Bajaria is prepared when the Duffers are.
“I’d all the time love extra Stranger Issues,” Bajaria mentioned with amusing. “Once they’re prepared, we’ll be prepared.”
The creators have reportedly been creating the idea for years, and Netflix is being affected person — for now.
“The hope is you’re not simply doing one thing to simply do it,” Matt mentioned. “And Netflix has been surprisingly affected person, though I believe now, I really feel that persistence sporting skinny a bit bit with the present coming to an finish. However they’re understanding.”
Bajaria admitted even she doesn’t absolutely know what the brand new collection might be about:
“They’ve been serious about this for a very long time,” she mentioned. “So I’m enthusiastic about what it’s going to be, however I don’t know what that’s but!”
