Could we ever get a Stranger Things sequel series? The Duffers have officially weighed in on it.
The series finale of Stranger Things, a feature-length episode that will undoubtedly be talked about by its fandom for years to come, was released on New Year's Eve. Most fans seemed to believe the creators nailed the ending of the grand sci-fi epic, giving each character a strong ending with the hint of more to come.
There will be more, of course, with Netflix planning spinoffs and other stories set in this universe. However, a question arises: would Netflix ever do a sequel series for the show with the cast playing older versions of their characters?
Speaking in a large interview with The Hollywood Reporter, co-creator Matt Duffer was asked that question and offered a straight answer.
Warning: This article contains mild SPOILERS for the Stranger Things series finale.
“We really don’t know. I mean, Mike’s closing the basement door. We’re closing the door on the story. That’s one reason we had the closing credits the way that we did, because it was a way of saying: This is finite. This is the end of their story. It’s the end of the story of Mike and Eleven and Joyce [Winona Ryder] and Hopper. So, no, there’s no plan or intention to tell the story because it’s a coming-of-age story. Ultimately, that’s what it’s supposed to be. That’s what the show always was.
"When he closes the door to the basement, he’s closing the door on his childhood and he’s moving onto adulthood. I mean, I guess a sequel could be about a midlife crisis. That just sounds really uninteresting! (Laughs.) Grandpa Hopper? I don’t know how that would read as anything but a gross cash grab to me. I wish I could talk a little bit more about the spinoff, but I’m not allowed to yet. But Ross and I are really excited about exploring new characters and a new mythology, but still very much are interested in telling a story in the spirit of Stranger Things. It feels like with this final season, we finished saying everything we wanted to say about these characters, this story and the Upside Down.”
Obviously, Netflix would love to make a sequel show a decade or so down the line. There is some intrigue in the characters now living in the 1990s and adjusting to their experiences as kids. Seeing who rose up to success, who stayed in Hawkins and who still want to live their normal lives is promising, along with whatever happened to Eleven.
Netflix, of course, wants to keep one of its biggest cash cows going. Even if the Duffers refuse, there's no shortage of producers and writers who'd love to take a crack at this. The actors would no doubt want to take part as well to relive their beloved characters.
However, it’s also understandable why the Duffers want to avoid that. They spent years working up to this finale. and this ending; they don’t want to just jump back into it again. Not to mention, for every sequel series that works, another doesn’t. Stranger Things was more a “lightning in a bottle” type of success. Trying to go back to that does sound like a cheap ploy for attention and only taint the legacy of this amazing work.
It doesn’t mean this will never happen, as TV networks do love these sequel shows. But, the Duffers seem satisfied that Stranger Things will end here and not try to replay a past hit.