Stranger Things director leaves Netflix for Disney

“I have always felt a special connection with Disney and its way of telling stories.”

After almost ten years at Netflix, Shawn Levy is moving house.

The director and producer, through his company 21 Laps Entertainment, has just signed an overall agreement with 20th Television, the studio owned by Disney. He will begin developing and producing new projects for the group from October 2027.

Arriving at Netflix in 2017, Shawn Levy has considerably developed his activity as director and producer. He notably produced Stranger Things of which he directed 10 episodes over the course of 5 seasons. He also signed Adam through timehis 2022 film with Ryan Reynolds, which is among the biggest hits in the history of the platform and in its Top 10 most viewed films.

This new contract with Disney also looks like a homecoming for Levy. Before becoming one of Hollywood’s most sought-after directors, he began his career working for Disney Channel, notably on Jett Jackson. He then directed for 20th Century Thirteen by the dozen in 2003, then the first three Night at the museum.

Levy has since signed, in 2024, the huge hit Deadpool & Wolverine for Marvel, with Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.

And his business with Disney is already well advanced: the filmmaker has just directed Star Wars: Starfighter for Lucasfilm, with Ryan Gosling, and must find the actor in the next Ghost Rider from Marvel.

His departure from Netflix does not mean the end of his adventure with Stranger Things.

Levy will continue to collaborate with Matt and Ross Duffer around the universe of the series, even if the Duffer brothers have moved their own contract to Paramount.

In a press release, the director explains that he sees Disney as a form of coming home: “Long before directing films, I began my career directing and producing episodes for Disney Channel, and I have always felt a special connection with Disney and its way of telling stories.”

The director also pays tribute to his adventure at Netflix: “I will forever cherish the incredible adventure 21 Laps had with Netflix. I am deeply grateful to Ted, Bela, Jinny and the many talented Netflix executives we have worked with over the years and, of course, I look forward to continuing our collaboration around the Duffer Brothers’ Stranger Things universe.”