The Real Reason The Duffer Brothers Just Jumped To Paramount For An Original Movie
Driven by a big-screen itch, The Duffer Brothers are jumping to Paramount in a massive deal to launch an original theatrical movie.
The Duffer Brothers just made a big swing: after a decade building Stranger Things into Netflix’s flagship, they’ve left for a massive overall deal at Paramount. Why? They want to put an original movie in theaters again. Honestly, that tracks.
Why they bailed on Netflix
In a chat with Variety, the Duffers said the move wasn’t about chasing a bigger check; it was about chasing a screen that isn’t in your living room. Paramount came to them, and that theatrical pipeline sealed it.
"When Matt and I were talking about what we want to do next, it really came down to we wanted to do a movie, specifically an original movie — a big original film. And theatrical is so important to us."
They weren’t even shopping around, but when Paramount pitched the idea of getting their movie into theaters, it was a childhood-dream-activated situation, and they jumped.
What they actually want to make
Their priority is original films. They’re not allergic to existing IP, but they’re picky about it. Matt’s stance is refreshingly blunt: the market is stuffed with IP for IP’s sake, and a lot of it doesn’t mean anything. If they touch IP, they’d rather fix something that was mishandled the first time than remake a classic that doesn’t need surgery. Agreed. Stop remaking the greats; go rescue the near-misses.
TV plans at Paramount (shorter, tighter, less bloat)
Their Paramount deal also includes TV, but expect shorter runs: think 8 to 10 episodes, not 20. Matt flat-out said he gets fatigued by those long seasons. The funny, very inside-baseball bit here: they grew up as movie kids with almost zero interest in TV. Kind of wild that they became TV powerhouses by accident.
Receipts, for the movie crowd
The Duffers have one feature under their belt already: the 2015 psychological thriller Hidden, starring Alexander Skarsgard, Andrea Riseborough, and Emily Alyn Lind. Solid, lean, and very much a calling card for why they want to go big-screen again.
What’s still happening at Netflix
Leaving Netflix doesn’t mean they’re done with it yet. They still have a few projects to deliver before the Paramount era takes over.
- Stranger Things season 5, the final run, drops in three parts: Volume 1 on November 26, Volume 2 on Christmas Day, and the series finale on New Year’s Eve.
- Stranger Things: Tales from '85, an animated series set in that world.
- A potential spin-off that reportedly has some Twin Peaks vibes.
Bottom line: the Duffers want the big screen, Paramount’s giving them the runway, and Netflix still gets the finale lap. Clean break, smart timing, and if their first original film hits, we’ll probably look back at this as the moment they leveled up.