Popverse's top stories

• Justice Gang boss Maxwell Lord will appear in another DC Studios project soon, says Sean Gunn - but he can’t say which one
• The Marvel art that made Jim Lee a superstar is being collected in one massive book
• Magic: The Gathering is giving Liliana Vess the main-character treatment

Many creators struggle with managing criticism and audience responses, and Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer are no different - even if they've intentionally exposed themselves to the thoughts of fans by looking into social media communities like Reddit.

They're good natured about it though, telling podcast Happy Sad Confused that even though they've broken the habit, they still recall times when they laughed at the theories of fans that were far off from the show's actual plans.

I've waded into the reddit boards sometimes," Ross Duffer said. "It's fascinating seeing how people are responding to things, responding to different characters, laughing when you see how off people's theories are. Not too often, but sometimes."

"And sometimes it's mean, but that's OK," added his brother Matt, who says he's been distancing himself from the fan community now that the show has wrapped and the Duffers are working on an original movie as well as a planned spin-off for Stranger Things. "I think it's just we're in such a weird space where I'm trying to disconnect from the show. It's odd. So I feel a little detached from the fandom right now. But I think I just need a break for a second."

After working solely on Stranger Things for nearly 10 years, it seems reasonable for Duffer to want a bit of space to move on to the duo's next set of projects. It seems clear based on his comment that his "disconnect" is based on refocusing his creative energy rather than avoiding some kind of negative association.

They go on to explain that they're currently in the midst of writing a film for their deal with Paramount, though it's still in the early stages. The Duffers don't reveal any details of what the film will entail, though they assure fans it's exactly the kind of thing they'd expect from them.

Stranger Things wrapped up its five season run back in late 2025, with a series finale that has proved polarizing to some fans, leaving some lingering questions and a bit of uncertainty around the final fate of Eleven. Nonetheless, the Duffers say they have no plans to return to Hawkins any time soon, with the planned spin-off show introducing all new characters with a different story that won't revisit the original show.

Stranger Things is streaming in full on Netflix right now.

Want to know what's coming up next in pop culture? Check out Popverse's guides to:

• Upcoming movies
• Upcoming TV shows
• Upcoming comics
• Upcoming games
• Upcoming fiction books
• Upcoming comic conventions