Netflix might quickly lose the inventive workforce behind one in all 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), have been in talks to signal an unique cope with Paramount (now beneath the possession of David Ellison’s Skydance). Then on Friday night, Puck’s Matthew Belloni posted that the Duffers had in truth “made their selection” and have 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 funds has grown accordingly, with a reported Season 4 value of $30 million per episode.
So it’s not stunning that the Duffers are keen on making big-budget, tentpole motion pictures subsequent — an space the place Netflix has struggled, partly as a consequence of its thorny relationship with the theatrical enterprise, which co-CEO Ted Sarandos not too long ago described as an “outdated idea.”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 suggests Netflix motion pictures often aren’t proven by the key chains.
This was, apparently, a sticking level for “Barbie” director Greta Gerwig, so the primary of her “Narnia” motion pictures for Netflix will play solely 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 is not going to be instantly noticeable on Netflix, which shall be releasing the ultimate season of “Stranger Issues” in three (!) elements 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 enjoying on Broadway, an animated collection coming quickly, and a stay motion spinoff reportedly within the works.
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