Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer confirm that multiple spinoffs are in development. After first releasing on Netflix back in 2016, the hit fantasy horror series returned in 2022 for season 4, becoming a massive viewership hit for the streamer. Stranger Things season 5 will bring the main show to an end this year, but a stage play called Stranger Things: First Shadow is set to expand the franchise when it releases on Broadway this March. Now, it looks like more expansions are on the horizon.

During a recent event promoting Netflix's 2025 film and TV slate, per EW, the Duffer Brothers provided an update on the future of the Stranger Things universe after season 5. Matt confirmed that "it’s not goodbye for Stranger Things," and said that "There are many more stories to tell." One of these is Stranger Things: The First Shadow, but that's not all:

"There are more Stranger Things stories to tell and in the works. It’s a bit early at this point to talk about them, but we’re deeply involved in every one. It’s very important to us that anything with the Stranger Things name on it is of the highest quality and not repetitive, that it has a reason to exist and always blazes its own path. And also, it needs to basically just be awesome — or we need to think it’s awesome. And there are a lot of what we think are awesome things in the pipeline."

What The Duffers' Update Means For Stranger Things

When Could A Spinoff Release?

Though the update from the Duffer Brothers doesn't reveal any specifics about the spinoffs in development, it has been confirmed that season 5 will conclude the story for the core Stranger Things cast of characters. This presumably means that characters like Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Will (Noah Schnapp), and Jim Hopper (David Harbour), among others, won't be returning. It's possible, however, that more minor ing characters could cross over to connect any spinoffs with the main show.

With no confirmation of what spinoffs are actually in the works, it's likely that release dates for these projects are quite a ways off. Stranger Things season 5 is hitting the streamer 3 years after the release of season 4, and the wait for any spinoffs will likely be longer than this. It's worth noting, too, that the Duffers' latest update doesn't reveal what form the new spinoffs will take. It's likely that there is at least one TV show in the works, but the creation of The First Shadow suggests the spinoffs could make the jump to other mediums.

A Stranger Things animated spinoff was announced back in 2023, but few updates on the project have arrived since.

Our Take On The Stranger Things Spinoffs Announcement

The Duffers' Involvement Is A Promising Sign

Stranger Things has been one of Netflix's most successful original shows, so it's no surprise that the franchise will expand. In addition to succeeding when it comes to viewership, however, the series has also been well-received critically. Stranger Things season 4 reviews were generally quite positive, and the responses to earlier seasons were even more enthusiastic.

The Duffers are clearly a major reason for the show's acclaim, and it's good news that they are closely involved with the creation of the spinoffs. It's not clear if they would be quite as hands-on as directors and writers for future projects in that universe, but their creative sensibilities are evidently what audiences are enjoying about the main show. While it could be a long wait for news of spinoffs, audiences thankfully get to return to the world of Stranger Things with season 5 this year.

Source: EW