As fans eagerly await more details on the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, the show’s creators, Ross and Matt Duffer, are already working on their next big projects.
During a Netflix presentation for its 2025 slate, the Duffer brothers announced that in 2026, they will executive produce two new series: The Boroughs and Something Very Bad is Going to Happen.
According to Ross Duffer, both shows will capture the essence of Stranger Things, telling stories of “ordinary people who encounter the extraordinary.”
Matt Duffer noted that The Boroughs has the most in common with Stranger Things, as it follows a group of misfits battling an otherworldly force. However, he teased a unique twist: instead of kids on bikes, this time the heroes are older adults in a retirement community—“They ride golf carts, not bikes.”
The Duffer brothers revealed exciting new details about The Boroughs, including its impressive cast, which features Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, and Bill Pullman.
Meanwhile, they shared a behind-the-scenes look at the highly anticipated final season of Stranger Things, revealing that they had spent an entire year filming and amassed over 650 hours of footage.
“It’s like eight blockbuster movies. It’s pretty insane,” Ross Duffer said. His brother Matt added that the filming process was “super intense and emotional—both for us and the actors.” Having worked on the show for nearly a decade, he admitted, “There was a lot of crying. There was SO much crying.”
For context, Stranger Things first premiered in 2016, when Millie Bobby Brown was just 11 years old and portraying Eleven. Netflix’s chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, even noted that she recently attended Brown’s wedding, highlighting how much time has passed since the show began.
Although Stranger Things is coming to an end, the Duffers assured fans that the story of the Upside Down isn’t over just yet. “There are more Stranger Things stories to tell, and they’re already in the works. It’s a bit early to discuss them, but we’re deeply involved in each one,” Matt Duffer teased.
The Netflix event also included updates on another hit show, Squid Game. Bajaria confirmed that the South Korean thriller’s third and final season will premiere on June 27.