spinoff showcase

What Could Happen in the Stranger Things Spinoff?

Photo: Netflix

Update July 5: David Harbour has offered his own idea for a spinoff: Yung Hop. Talking with GQ, Harbour seemed disinclined to join any Stranger Things extended universe property, but that doesn’t mean Hopper’s completely off the table. “At this point, I think Hopper is a character that can exist independent of me,” he said. “If they wanna go back in time, forward in time… I’d love to see another actor play Hopper, and see what they can bring to it.” As far as who he’d want to play a younger version of Hopper, he pitched Euphoria’s Jacob Elordi. “He could pull off being as handsome as I was at 20,” he said in an email.

Original story follows.

Although things are looking grim at Netflix, the streamer’s flagship spooky show is still soldiering on. Stranger Things 4 Part 2 is set to debut July 1, setting up the fifth and final season. But the Duffer brothers are currently batting about ideas for a potential spinoff. “The reason we haven’t done anything is just because you don’t want to be doing it for the wrong reasons,” Matt Duffer told Variety. A dump truck full of money is a right reason, but one that cannot exist alone. The Duffers are confident that they’ve come up with the right idea for a spinoff, but it’s not necessarily the one Netflix wants. “Even if we took the Stranger Things title off of it, I’m so, so excited about it,” Matt said. “It’s going to be different than what anyone is expecting, including Netflix.” Most people (including Netflix) are probably expecting another sci-fi horror show that slowly morphs into a wacky sitcom/soap opera and riffs heavily on Stephen King. But if the new show isn’t that, what could it be? Vulture has some ideas.

The Real Hellfire Club

Actual play podcasts and series are all the rage! Why not get in on that sweet Critical Role/Dimension20/The Adventure Zone/HarmonQuest moolah and force these actors playing nerds to become actual nerds? Joe Keery can play a half-elf bard based on his “son” Jean-Ralphio Saperstein. Celebrity DM Joe Manganiello forcing Millie Bobby Brown to role for initiative? I’m already laughing.

Murray P.I.

Brett Gelman’s private investigator turned karate master has to work other cases, right? They’re not all spooky and/or Russian-involved. Let’s see Murray track down a bail jumper, ID a mad bomber, or solve the death of his high-school best friend. Yes, these are all plot points from Veronica Mars, and maybe you could just change some names on some scripts. Hulu appears to be done with the property, so let Murray have a go.

Steve & Robin

Like Will & Grace, but reversed genders and in a way less tolerant environment. Yet somehow still a comedy. But seriously, Joe Keery and Maya Hawke can bicker for 22 minutes, and that’s a TV show. Throw Dustin in as the wacky neighbor-type and bada bada boom, you’ve got ten seasons and a revival.

Will’s Birthday

Every episode is a birthday party for Will and everyone tells him they love him so, so much.

We won’t have long to speculate about what a Stranger Things spinoff could hold. Ross Duffer suggested development would begin even while Stranger Things 5 is still in post: “There’s a version of it developing in parallel [to season five], but they would never shoot it parallel … I think actually we’re going to start delving into that soon as we’re winding down and finishing these visual effects, Matt and I are going to start getting into it.”

What Could a Stranger Things Spinoff Be?