The show’s final season is not the end for the Stranger Things universe

Over the past few days, I have been seeing posts on social media showing the Stranger Things cast then and now, highlighting how much these actors, who began filming the series as children, have grown over the years. But considering that nearly ten years have passed since this hit show first premiered and since we first saw the mysterious alphabet framed by holiday lights, it should come as no surprise that its protagonists are now adults. For that reason, the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which is currently being released gradually on Netflix, marks a sad but meaningful ending. It is time for these young actors to move on to new projects, and for us to slowly say goodbye to Hawkins and a series that entertained us for nearly a decade. And just as I made peace with the fact that the show is ending, exciting news arrived: Netflix is preparing a Stranger Things spin off.

At a time when we are getting sequels and remakes of almost every cult film and series, it would be a real shame to part with such a complex and well developed universe as the one in Stranger Things. Fortunately for all fans, the creators agree. You can breathe a little easier and watch the final episodes of season five with less melancholy, because Netflix has officially confirmed plans for a spin off set in the same universe. Here is everything we know so far.

Courtesy of Netflix

What will the new series be about?

After years of speculation, Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things, confirmed on the Happy Sad Confused podcast (which more or less describes how I have felt since hearing the news) that they have been working on this new project for some time. Unfortunately, they immediately crushed our hopes that the spin off would follow the lives of any of the original protagonists, even though we would all love to see a series dedicated to Steve and Dustin’s friendship. I have read assumptions that the new show would be an Eleven spin off, or a Steve and Dustin spin off, or more stories from the lab, Ross said. That does not interest me because we have already covered all of that. Although I am a bit disappointed that the series will not be based on the original characters, I am glad that the creators are determined to bring us a completely new and exciting story.

Courtesy of Netflix

For now, it is clear that the new series will be based on the intriguing Stranger Things universe yet be completely different from the original show. The series introduces new characters and a new mystery, so it is different, but it will be set in the same world as Stranger Things, Matt Duffer explained, without revealing many details.

When is the new series set in the Stranger Things universe coming?

The concept for the new show has been in development for years, and the creators claim they will surprise us all. Back in 2022, they said they had nothing on paper but that there was an idea, and that Finn Wolfhard was the only one who managed to guess the premise of the new series correctly while no one else came close. The release date has not yet been confirmed, but it is official that production is moving forward. Netflix is now fully familiar with the story, and according to Matt Duffer, they are very excited. Since the final season of Stranger Things is still being released, it is clear that fans will have to be patient before the new series sees the light of day, but Duffer said they are trying to begin filming as quickly as possible.

Courtesy of Netflix

Matt and Ross Duffer will oversee the production of the new series, but they will not be as directly involved as they were with Stranger Things. As for the fan favorite actors Millie Bobby Brown, Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Sadie Sink, and Finn Wolfhard, they will not be part of the cast, although it is not ruled out that their characters might appear as guest stars. Since all ideas are still being kept under wraps, we can only wait and see what is ahead and trust that the Stranger Things universe still holds many untold stories worth watching.