Netflix and Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers (Matt and Ross) announced the creation of a new production company as well as plans for a Stranger Things spinoff and Stranger Things stage play. The Duffer Brothers’ new company, Upside Down Pictures, will be run by Hilary Leavitt (Ozark).
“I remember the first movie I saw in the theater, the first VHS tape I got for Christmas, the first international one-sheet I bid for on ebay because it was cooler than the domestic. And the first time I met Matt and Ross. All of these seminal moments have led to this ridiculously cool opportunity to build a company with the Duffer Brothers where we produce movies and television because we love movies and television,” said Hilary Leavitt. “This love is at the core of Upside Down Pictures, where we’re able to collaborate with other artists on projects across the full spectrum of genre. We all love what we do and are excited to do more and more.”
The aim of Upside Down Pictures is “to create the kind of stories that inspired the Duffers growing up – stories that take place at that beautiful crossroads where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where big spectacle co-exists with intimate character work, where heart wins out over cynicism,” according to the Duffer siblings.
“It didn’t take long into our first meeting with Hilary, where we bonded over films like Jaws, Home Alone, and Speed, to know we had found a kindred spirit. Hilary’s passion for storytelling is perhaps matched only by her passion for the storytellers themselves, for whom she is fiercely protective. No wonder so many writers and directors are drawn to working with her. She is a rare talent indeed, and we feel extremely grateful to have her at our side as we build Upside Down Pictures,” stated Matt and Ross Duffer.
The new production company will be involved in both film and television projects. The official announcement also included details on what’s in the works for The Duffer Brothers and Netflix:
- A new stage play set within the world and mythology of Stranger Things, produced by prolific and multi award-winning producers Sonia Friedman, Stephen Daldry (The Crown, Billy Elliot, The Reader), and Netflix. Daldry will also direct. 21 Laps serves as Associate Producer.
- A live-action Stranger Things spin-off series based on an original idea by The Duffer Brothers, with Upside Down and 21 Laps producing.
- An all-new live-action television adaptation of the renowned Japanese manga and anime series Death Note.
- An original series from creators Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews (Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance).
- A series adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub‘s The Talisman alongside Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and Paramount Television to be created by Curtis Gwinn.
The Duffer Brothers’ fourth season of Stranger Things has snagged the top spot on Netflix’s all-time most popular English TV list with 1.15 billion hours viewed in just 28 days. Stranger Things season four had the biggest premiere weekend of the streaming service’s history, with 286.79 million hours viewed.
