Now that Stranger Things has concluded its penultimate season, the end is very much nigh. But as is custom with TV shows nowadays, season 5 won’t be the last we see of the franchise. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer have plenty of ideas about how to expand the “Stanger Things universe” with spinoff shows. And the stories they plan to tell will be unlike anything we’ve seen so far.
The easy option for a spinoff series would be to follow a character who is already popular with fans. The Adventures of Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson? An Eleven series? We’re seeing similar things being done over on HBO, which is developing a Game of Thrones spinoff about Jon Snow; meanwhile, AMC is making a Walking Dead spinoff about Daryl Dixon. However, the Duffer Brothers are keen to do something “1000% different.”
“I’ve read these rumors that there’s gonna be an Eleven spinoff, that there’s gonna be a Steve and Dustin spinoff or that it’s another number,” Matt and Ross Duffer said during an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “That’s not interesting to me because we’ve done all that. We’ve spent I don’t know how many hours exploring all of that. So it’s very different.”
After the main show ends, the brothers will take some time to pursue other things, but not before they find someone to develop a spinoff. “Hopefully we find that right person to pass the baton to while we go on to do new stuff.”
Funnily enough, not even Netflix knows what Stranger Things projects the Duffers have in mind. The details are being kept under wraps. Perhaps things will become clearer when we watch the final season, which is eyeing a 2024 release date.
SPOILERS AHEAD: Joe Quinn will be “furious” if he doesn’t return for season 5
Spoiler alert: In the latest season, newcomer and fan-favorite Eddie Munson (Joe Quinn) is killed off after being bitten by a horde of demobats in the Upside Down. He died a hero… that is, if he did die.
Stranger Things has a reputation for bringing back “dead” characters. Most notably, Hopper (David Harbour) was killed off in the season 3 finale only to return in season 5. In the case of Eddie Munson, we literally saw him die. Although that doesn’t stop Quinn from wanting to return to the action. “I’ll be furious if they don’t bring me back . I’d love to, if they’ll have me,” he told The Guardian.
Maybe in a flashback? Or in Dustin’s imagination? Or perhaps he miraculously survived.
Stranger Things season 4 is currently streaming on Netflix.
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