The Duffer Brothers’ next projects were already lined up before Stranger Things even finished airing its final season. Matt and Ross Duffer spent the show’s last stretch quietly building an entire slate of new work — a movie studio deal, two new Netflix series, a confirmed Stranger Things spinoff, and a mystery film with a release date already locked in for 2028.
Table of Contents
- Why the Duffer Brothers signed with Paramount
- What The Boroughs and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen actually are
- The confirmed live-action Stranger Things spinoff
- The Duffer Brothers’ first Paramount movie
- Frequently asked questions about the Duffer Brothers’ next projects
Why the Duffer Brothers signed with Paramount
The Duffer Brothers’ next projects took a major turn in August 2025, when Variety reported the pair had signed a four-year exclusive deal with Paramount covering movies, television, and streaming projects, set to begin once their existing Netflix agreement expired in April 2026. According to Variety’s reporting, the deal specifically emphasizes “ambitious” and “large-scale theatrical films,” a notable shift for two filmmakers who built their entire careers within streaming television.
The move reunited the Duffers with two executives central to Stranger Things’ original success: Cindy Holland, who greenlit the show at Netflix and now serves as Paramount’s head of streaming, and Matt Thunell, president of Paramount TV, who worked with the brothers during their Netflix years. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Paramount family,” the Duffers said in a joint statement, adding that reuniting with Holland and Thunell — “who were among the very first to believe in us and an unusual little script we wrote that became Stranger Things” — made the transition feel like a continuation rather than a clean break.
What The Boroughs and Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen actually are
Before their Paramount deal fully takes effect, the Duffer Brothers still have projects moving through Netflix under their production company, Upside Down Pictures, led by producing partner Hilary Leavitt. According to Netflix’s own Tudum coverage, “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” is described as an atmospheric horror series following a bride and groom during the week leading up to their ill-fated wedding, with Haley Z. Boston serving as showrunner and executive producer under the Duffers’ oversight.
The second project, “The Boroughs,” centers on a group of residents in a retirement community who team up to stop a supernatural threat. Sunday Guardian Live reports the film version of The Boroughs, with the Duffers serving as executive producers, actually released on Netflix on May 21, 2026 — making it one of the first pieces of new Duffer Brothers content to reach audiences after Stranger Things concluded. The Duffers have described the project’s tone as similarly heartfelt to their flagship series, noting in Tudum’s coverage that while “the heroes in The Boroughs have a few more years on them than the kids from Stranger Things, they are a similarly lovable bunch of misfits.”
“There are many more stories to tell beyond Hawkins, and we can’t wait to share them,” the Duffer Brothers said in their joint statement announcing the Paramount deal.
The confirmed live-action Stranger Things spinoff
Among the Duffer Brothers’ next projects, one has generated more direct fan interest than any other: a live-action Stranger Things spinoff confirmed to remain under active development even after the brothers’ move to Paramount. IMDb’s reporting notes the Duffers told Deadline they are “moving forward” with the new spinoff for Netflix, continuing their involvement with the franchise’s universe even as their broader creative energy shifts toward Paramount projects.
According to Sunday Guardian Live’s coverage, the spinoff is expected to be set outside the town of Hawkins entirely, introducing new characters rather than continuing storylines from the original cast. The outlet cites earlier remarks from actor Finn Wolfhard suggesting the new project might adopt a tone closer to “Twin Peaks,” built around secret government labs and supernatural mystery rather than a direct continuation of the Party’s adventures. That spinoff exists alongside two other confirmed pieces of Stranger Things expanded media: the Tony and Olivier Award-winning stage play “The First Shadow,” and the animated series “Tales From ’85,” both of which the Duffers continue to oversee creatively even as their day-to-day focus shifts elsewhere.
The Duffer Brothers’ first Paramount movie
The most concrete detail confirmed so far among the Duffer Brothers’ next projects is a currently untitled film set for wide theatrical release on November 3, 2028, according to Variety’s reporting. The Duffers will both write and direct the movie themselves, though Paramount has kept plot details entirely under wraps, revealing nothing beyond the confirmed release date.
Variety’s coverage notes the Duffers will continue working closely with Paramount film and series executives Josh Greenstein and Dana Goldberg on the project, alongside their ongoing relationship with Holland and Thunell. The studio’s decision to lock in a specific release date years in advance, without disclosing any story details, suggests Paramount is treating the film as a major theatrical event on the strength of the Duffers’ name alone — a significant vote of confidence for two filmmakers whose only prior produced feature work had come through television rather than the big screen.
For more on the stage play that remains part of the Duffer Brothers’ ongoing creative slate, Read more: Stranger Things: The First Shadow covers the Tony-winning prequel production. And for the confirmed animated series continuing the franchise’s story, Read more: Tales From ’85 breaks down everything announced about its second season.
Newsweek’s full breakdown of the Duffer Brothers’ post-Stranger Things plans goes deeper into the timeline of each announcement, and it’s worth reading in full here.
Frequently asked questions about the Duffer Brothers’ next projects
What is the Duffer Brothers’ next project after Stranger Things? The Duffer Brothers’ next confirmed projects include the Netflix film The Boroughs, the horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, a live-action Stranger Things spinoff, and an untitled Paramount film set for November 2028.
Why did the Duffer Brothers leave Netflix for Paramount? The Duffer Brothers signed a four-year exclusive deal with Paramount in August 2025, reuniting with executives Cindy Holland and Matt Thunell, who both worked with them during Stranger Things’ original development at Netflix.
Is there a new Stranger Things show coming after the finale? Yes. The Duffer Brothers have confirmed a live-action Stranger Things spinoff is still in active development at Netflix, expected to be set outside Hawkins with new characters.
When does the Duffer Brothers’ first Paramount movie release? The Duffer Brothers’ first confirmed Paramount film is scheduled for wide theatrical release on November 3, 2028, though its plot has not been revealed.
Are the Duffer Brothers still involved with Stranger Things: Tales From ’85? Yes. The Duffer Brothers continue to oversee Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 creatively alongside showrunner Eric Robles, even as their primary focus shifts toward new Paramount projects.
