The Stranger Things universe will take a break after the end of the series

The Duffers have planned a new series in the Eleven universe. But it’s not for now.

Don’t expect a spin-off for a long time…

While season 5 of Stranger Things will mark the end of the phenomenon series, fans will have to be patient before diving back into Hawkins’ universe. A spin-off is well in preparation, but the Duffer brothers wanted to calm expectations: it will not see the light of day soon.

In an interview with Variety, Matt and Ross Duffer explained that they preferred to take their time before starting production. No timetable or release date has been set yet.

“We don’t want to create an unnecessarily complex mythology right after season 5,” says Matt. “The spin-off will take place in another world, while maintaining a connection with the main series.” Certainly not in Hawkins, then. And probably not in the 1980s.

The creators are keeping the concept a secret — to the point that even Shawn Levy, director and executive producer of Stranger Things, doesn’t know what they’re up to:

“They are very protective when it comes to the spin-off, and I understand them. The Matt-Ross duo is a sacred bubble… I’m delighted to extend the life of Stranger Things, but I won’t talk about ‘universe’ yet, like the MCU for the Marvel Universe. The ‘STU’ (Stranger Things Universe)? No, it’s too early! Shit, I shouldn’t have said STU…”

On the Netflix side, patience is required. And the platform seems ready to wait:

“Netflix has been surprisingly patient,” admits Matt Duffer. “But I feel like that patience is starting to wear thin a little now that the series is coming to an end.”

Bela Bajaria, chief creative officer at Netflix, confirms this approach: “I would love to have more Stranger Things. When they’re ready, we’ll be ready.”

That being said, the Duffer brothers have just signed an exclusive contract with Paramount, but they assure that they will remain closely involved in the spin-off, although they will not be the showrunners. They talk more about “supporting the project,” Ross explains.

While waiting to see that, season 5 of Stranger Things, which will consist of eight episodes, will be launched on Netflix on November 26 with its first four episodes. And we already know that in 2026, we will see a first derivative series, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, already mentioned in Annecy this summer, and which will take place “during the harsh winter of 1985”, that is to say between the events of seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things. It will feature “the original characters of the series – with a newcomer, Nikki, a tough girl with a shaved head and a comb – who face new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery that terrorizes their town.”