‘Stranger Issues’ creators could also be leaving Netflix

Netflix might quickly lose the inventive crew behind one in every of its largest hits.

Earlier this week, Selection and different Hollywood publications reported that Matt and Ross Duffer, the brothers who created “Stranger Issues” (and wrote and directed many episodes), had been in talks to signal an unique take care of Paramount (now underneath the possession of David Ellison’s Skydance). Then on Friday night, Puck’s Matthew Belloni posted that the Duffers had actually “made their selection” and had been going to Paramount.

The Duffer Brothers’ ambition appears to have elevated with every season of “Stranger Issues,” as episodes have grown longer, set items have grow to be extra spectacular, and the price range has grown accordingly, with a reported Season 4 price of $30 million per episode.

So it’s not shocking that the Duffers are keen on making big-budget, tentpole motion pictures subsequent — an space the place Netflix has struggled, partly because of its thorny relationship with the theatrical enterprise, which co-CEO Ted Sarandos just lately described as an “outdated idea.”

Whereas Netflix does launch some motion pictures in theaters, it has resisted giving these releases a major unique window earlier than launching on streaming, which implies Netflix motion pictures normally aren’t proven by the most important chains.

This was, apparently, a sticking level for “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig, so the primary of her “Narnia” motion pictures for Netflix will play completely on Imax screens for 2 weeks (or extra) earlier than going to streaming on Christmas Day 2026. And it appears this was additionally vital to the Duffers, with Belloni reporting that the “theatrical element” turned out to be the “dealbreaker” of their negotiations.

The brothers’ absence won’t be instantly noticeable on Netflix, which will likely be releasing the ultimate season of “Stranger Issues” in three (!) components later this yr, and the place the Duffers have two new exhibits scheduled to launch in 2026. Plus, the “Stranger Issues” empire is rising, with a prequel taking part in on Broadway, an animated sequence coming quickly, and a reside motion spinoff reportedly within the works.