Summary
The creepy, compelling world of Hawkins, Indiana has captivated fans from the first episode ofNetflix’sStranger Things. Since no one wants to say goodbye to these beloved characters who are figuring out the truth about the Upside Down and coming of age at the same time, it makes sense that the Duffer Brothers are working on a few spinoffs.
However, since few details have been shared about theStranger Thingsspinoffs, everyone’s imaginations have been running wild. While fans know thatEleven (Millie Bobby Brown) won’t be the focus, the sky seems to be the limit here.Stranger Thingsfans have thoughts about what else they want to see from this creative and fascinating universe.
After Stranger Things Season 5, What Spinoffs Do Fans Want?
Stranger Thingsfans have shared their spinoff ideas in aReddit thread, and they each focus on the characters fans have grown attached to over the past four, almost five, seasons. Redditor @Dragonmight67 wonders aboutNancy Wheeler (Natalia Dyer) being the focus of a live-action spinoff. The fan wrote:
“A Nancy spin off where’s she’s a journalist investigating supernatural/Upside down cases across the country or in another small town. Maybe a character dissection that explores the aspects of her that the main show couldn’t take time to show.”
This is a great idea since this is different enough from the main plot ofStranger Thingsbut still feels like the logical next step. While fans arenervous about theStranger Thingsseason 5 ending, it feels comforting to imagine beloved characters like Nancy living interesting and fun lives. This idea could also work with any character, not just Nancy. But it makes sense to imagine her in this type of scenario since she’s intelligent and has proven she has a knack for researching and discovering secrets.
Redditor @rosewoodliars thinks that aStranger Thingsspinoff should dive into the backstory ofone of the most important settings. They wrote:
“The lab’s history with Brenner being involved. There’s no other spin-off I would do besides that one.”
Redditor @QuipThwip wantsSteve Harrington (Joe Keery) and Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton) to star in a spinoff. Since Steve has been one-half ofmany greatStranger Thingscharacter duos, it makes sense to continue this tradition and have him bond with someone else. The fan wrote:
“let’s say Nancy doesn’t choose either one of them and goes to college, a show following Steve and Jonathan’s life AFTER the upside down either staying in Hawkins or becoming roommates in New York would be fun to see!”
Another Redditor thinks thatafterStranger Thingsseason 5, a spinoff should focus on the kids of the main characters. Since this is a typical plotline for spinoffs, reboots, and revivals, this would work. It would be compelling if this spinoff idea also includedcharacters getting stuck in the Upside Downsince this setting is such a crucial part of the story. This is also a great way to include cameos from popular characters while still introducing newer ones. The fan wrote:
“It should be about the main cast being older or their children trying to stop the another villain or monster.”
What Are The Planned Stranger Things Spinoffs About?
There are twoStranger Thingsspinoffs: a live-action and an animated one. The plot of either spinoff hasn’t been shared publicly and likely won’t be until actors are cast and the shows gets ready for production. SinceStranger Thingsseason 5 has a time jump, perhaps the spinoffs will, too. It’s also possible that they could be prequel series that focus on backstory that hasn’t been told yet. Although fans hope that theStranger Thingsseason 5 finale shares all the information that they have been waiting for, there is a lot more to explore.
According toNetflix.com/tudum, the Duffer Brothers said of the animated series:
“We’ve always dreamed of an animatedStranger Thingsin the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling."
In 2022, the Duffer Brothers toldVarietyin an email:
“We haven’t told anyone the idea yet, much less written it. We think everyone — including Netflix — will be surprised when they hear the concept, because it’s very, very different. But somehow Finn Wolfhard — who is one crazy smart kid — correctly guessed what it was going to be about. But aside from Finn, no one else knows!”
No matter what theStranger Thingsspinoffs are about, hopefully they will includecharacters who are as well-crafted as Will Byers (Noah Schnapp)and who fans easily become invested in.
