Matt and Ross Duffercould have another movie in their future. The duo, collectively known as the Duffer Brothers, is best known for creating the hit Netflix seriesStranger Things. The sci-fi fantasy series, which is set in the fictional Hawkins, Indiana during the 1980s, premiered in 2016 and has two seasons in Netflix’s Top 10 most-watched seasons of all time.
The upcomingStranger Thingsseason 5, which concludes on June 07, 2025, will mark the end of the flagship series. Thoughthe franchise will continue with spinoffs such as the animated seriesTales From ‘85, the Duffer Brothers’ involvement in these projects largely does not extend beyond executive producing them.
Now, perDeadline, the Duffer Brothers are circling a deal with Paramount, which was officially acquired by Skydance on August 7. While this may not ultimately go through,Deadline’s sources report thatthe current iteration of the deal includes “both streaming and features with a big theatrical component.”
What This Means For The Duffer Brothers
Should this deal go through, in addition to allowing them to explore the theatrical space in a way that Netflix never did, it could lead to the Duffer Brothers collaborating on their first feature film in more than a decade.Their last film project was also their feature directorial debut, the 2015 thrillerHidden.
Hiddenfollowed a family (Alexander Skarsgård, Andrea Riseborough, and Emily Alyn Lind) living in a bomb shelter.
WhileHiddenhad a cursory international theatrical release,it earned less than $400,000 by the end of its run. However, a Paramount-supported theatrical release in the wake of their success withStranger Thingswould most likely have a much more prominent ad campaign and a significantly wider audience base.
Paramount has a great deal of experience with major theatrical releasesacross a variety of genres. In recent years, they have shepherded many hits to the screen, including the billion-dollar legacy action sequelTop Gun: Maverick, the slasher sequelScream VI, and theSonic the Hedgehogmovies.
~$90 million
$320 million
Sonic the Hedgehog 2(2022)
~$110 million
$405.4 million
Sonic the Hedgehog 3(2024)
$122 million
$492.2 million
Another good sign for the Duffer Brothers' future theatrical career is the fact thatHiddenwas well-received, even though it was little-seen. On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes,the movie has a solidly Fresh 83% score from critics, as well as a 64% audience score on the Popcornmeter.
Our Take On The Duffer Brothers' Potential Paramount Deal
Although Netflix has been good toMatt and Ross Dufferand continues to be (in addition to theupcomingStranger Things: Tales from ‘85, they’re executive producing the new seriesThe Boroughs), this Paramount deal could benefit them greatly by allowing them to expand their vision to a much bigger canvas, potentially crafting some of the decade’s next huge movie hits.
