Netflix plans spin-off of hit Stranger Things
LOS ANGELES - Netflix Inc is developing a spin-off of the science fiction series Stranger Things as the streaming service works to build its biggest English-language hit into a broad entertainment franchise.
The twins who created Stranger Things created a series that is based on an original idea by Matt and Ross Duffer, Netflix said in a statement. There were no details on the story or characters.
Netflix also announced a stage play set in the world of Stranger Things. The supernatural thriller starring Winona Ryder and David Harbour has set viewing records for Netflix, surpassing the Regency-era drama Bridgerton as the company's most-watched English-language show.
Stranger Things reverberated through the cultural zeitgeist when it debuted in 2016 and turned 12 year-old Millie Bobby Brown into a global star. The most recent season has propelled Kate Bush's song Running Up That Hill to the top of the iTunes and Spotify charts 37 years after its original release.
The Netflix app was briefly crashing as fans rushed to view it, as the fourth season ended with the final two episodes last week. The series has logged 1.15 billion hours of viewing time on Netflix, behind only South Korean drama Squid Game. Matthew Thunell, Netflix vice president who first read the script and advocated for the series said that one of the reasons why 'Stranger Things' has broken out in the way that it has is that there's a universality at the centre of it. It is about the strength of friendship, how friendship triumphs over evil. The series is the first that Netflix has tried to develop as a traditional entertainment franchise. The characters and stories traverse film, television, games and consumer products. Its popularity took Netflix by surprise - candidly, we could never have predicted what 'Stranger Things' has become, said Thunell.
As the audience expanded beyond the so-called genre nerds, or science-fiction fans, Netflix began contemplating ways to extend the story through spin-offs and merchandise.
That resulted in a range of Stranger Things tie-ins that include a Surfer Boy pineapple and jalapeno frozen pizza at Walmart and a Magic 8 ball toy from Hasbro. Fans can also participate in mock sleep studies at a Hawkins National Laboratory attraction in New York, San Francisco and London.
Josh Simon, Netflix's vice president of consumer products, said we're starting from scratch and that we're given a lot of freedom to be innovative and try new things.
The series is part of a production deal with the Duffers, who will develop a live-action TV series of Japanese manga and anime series Death Note, among other projects.