As Stranger Things winds down, creators Matt and Ross Duffer have already set their next project at Netflix, sticking to the supernatural genre for their next creative endeavor based on an original idea from Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, creators of The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.
Stranger Things is set in a quiet 1980s Indiana town where creatures from an alternate dimension called the Upside Down terrorize the residents after the veil between the two worlds is torn by secret experiments taking place in the town. The show was undeniably popular, and each consecutive season has seen a continuation of this success, with Stranger Things hitting a Netflix milestone only previously reached by Squid Game.
The show’s fifth season, which the Stranger Things writers teased with a blurred photo of the finished plot, is set to be the conclusion of the popular series. However, the show’s creators, the Duffers, aren’t slowing down, with the pair already setting up their next project at Netflix titled The Boroughs. The show is the brainchild of Addiss and Matthews and is being made as one part of a very lucrative 9-figure deal between the Duffer brothers and Netflix that was signed last year.
“We’ve been fans of Jeff and Will’s writing for a long time, and when they pitched us their idea for The Boroughs, we immediately knew they had something very special on their hands,” the Duffer brothers said during the official announcement. The duo commented on the similarities and differences between the upcoming show and their prior work. “While the heroes in The Boroughs have a few more years on them than the kids from Stranger Things, they are a similarly lovable bunch of misfits, and we can’t wait for you to join them on an adventure that is at turns scary, funny and deeply touching.”
“We’re thrilled to be back at Netflix,” Addiss and Matthews said after the announcement. “Working alongside the Duffer brothers (who are pretty good at making shows) and their team has been a dream come true. They bring the perfect balance of heart and horror to our story. We can’t wait for audiences around the world to unlock the dark mystery buried beneath the sunny facade of The Boroughs.” The duo’s last project on Netflix, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, was short-lived yet appreciated, with the show even getting a tie-in Switch game.
In part due to the similarities and involvement of the Duffer brothers, The Boroughs might suffer from comparisons to Stranger Things, an IP that fans aren't getting tired of anytime soon. This will not be a problem, as Stranger Things spin-offs and other adaptations are in the works, including a Stranger Things anime adaptation. If these franchise extensions will help satiate fans enough to enjoy The Boroughs on its own merit or deride it as an unneeded clone remains to be seen.
Stranger Things seasons 1-4 are now available on Netflix.
Source: Netflix