Stranger Things: Prequel play breaks new ground for Duffer brothers

The creators of Stranger Things person said their upcoming signifier show, based connected their deed supernatural Netflix series, is simply a anticipation they "never expected".

Matt and Ross Duffer said the conception had not been "not portion of the archetypal plans" erstwhile they archetypal wrote it for tv 8 years ago.

The duo told the BBC determination were much spin-off ideas successful the works, but said taking the bid to the signifier is "completely caller ground".

Presented by Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions, the caller play, called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, volition premiere successful London's West End successful 14 December 2023.

The spin-off prequel volition instrumentality spot successful the aforesaid beingness arsenic the much-loved TV series.

Ross Duffer spoke of his astonishment astatine the TV show's success.

"When we made that archetypal season, we were conscionable shocked we were allowed to marque a show, truthful to spot what it has become, and present the satellite is starting to expand, is beauteous great. But this is thing we ne'er expected," helium said.

Stranger Things debuted connected Netflix successful 2016. Nine years and 12 Emmy Awards later, the amusement is inactive garnering record-breaking viewing figures.

The 4th play was released successful 2022 and presently tops the Netflix astir fashionable English TV list, with implicit 1.35 cardinal viewing hour. It besides became the biggest premiere play ever for an English-language TV amusement connected the streaming service.

The caller play is written by Stranger Things writer Kate Trefry and directed by three-time Tony Award-winning manager Stephen Daldry.

Daldry was besides Oscar-nominated for The Reader, The Hours and Billy Elliot and is enforcement shaper connected the TV bid The Crown.

Asked however the thought for a theatre accumulation came about, Matt Duffer explained: "The thought did not travel from us. I don't deliberation I would person had the idea. The thought came from Stephen Daldry."

"Daldry was a large instrumentality of the amusement and wanted to bash a play, but helium was truthful engaged with The Crown that I thought this would ne'er happen. Finally a model opened up, helium came backmost and expressed his involvement again, and we met up with him and started to speech astir what the play could be."

He added that Daldry had steadfast ideas astir what helium had successful mind.

"I deliberation erstwhile I archetypal heard play, you instantly deliberation it's going to beryllium a philharmonic of play 1 oregon thing similar that. He was not funny successful that benignant of happening astatine all. He wanted to archer a caller and archetypal story," helium said.

The crippled volition spot the assemblage transported backmost to the municipality of Hawkins, wherever Stranger Things is set, successful the 1950s and volition diagnostic storylines for already-known characters including Jim Hopper, Joyce Maldonado and Bob Newby arsenic precocious schoolers, arsenic good arsenic the show's existent villain Henry Creel.

Matt Duffer said it would beryllium "a batch of fun" to conscionable younger versions of the show's existent characters, adding that "in the show, you tin conscionable them arsenic precocious schoolers - fundamentally the aforesaid property arsenic the kids are successful our show.

"So yes, we person the acheronian and the fearfulness that comes on with the Henry Creel story, but past we person benignant of the amusive and popular that comes from gathering and getting to cognize young Joyce, young Hopper, young Bob."

Ross Duffer said the signifier amusement volition consciousness precise overmuch similar different bid of Stranger Things, saying "we've got aggregate storylines and strands going connected throughout, and they each physique to a beauteous epic climax".

"So we're excited that it is simply a play successful itself, but it's besides utilizing immoderate of the storytelling benignant that is truthful overmuch a portion of the show".

The brothers, on with Kate Trefry, are present considered seasoned writers of analyzable plots.

When asked however hard it tin beryllium to not muddy the communicative and characters communicative arcs erstwhile penning a prequel to a palmy TV show, Ross Duffer said: "As we're penning the last season, we weren't capable to marque definite everything is lining up.

"When this started, we were conscionable doing 4 seasons, but we person present moved into 5 - and immoderate things person changed."

He said play 4 was "so overmuch astir the backstory, and astir Henry Creel, and that that was benignant of the launching constituent for what the amusement would become".

He said they "touched connected it" successful the 4th play of the show, but thought determination was "a batch of country to research the root of evil and successful Hawkins - and we started to get truly excited".

They were capable to set immoderate of the "things successful the play" and said that moving connected it had fixed them ideas for the upcoming play five.

"We're trying to beryllium very, precise cautious to marque definite that it each fits successful locks into place," helium said.

Matt Duffer added "Some of the mythology worldly is simply a small spot trickier, but similar Ross said, it's been amusive to person the play power the show, and the amusement influenced the play," but added helium hopes it feels similar a "unique theatrical experience."

Asked if the signifier amusement volition beryllium remade for a worldwide TV assemblage if successful, Matt Duffer said "it truly is designed for the theatre and the stage".

Ross Duffer said "I don't spot america producing it for television, but we're trying to dainty everything successful this play arsenic a standalone story. That's however we effort to attack it arsenic opposed to conscionable 'Oh, well, we request to bash different shows, oregon seasons'. We deliberation no, what is breathtaking astir this and does it enactment connected its own?

Matt Duffer added "It does precise overmuch consciousness similar Stranger Things, but it is truthful driven by Steven, Kate and Sonia it is precise overmuch its ain happening benignant of acceptable successful the satellite of Stranger Things.

"I conscionable I person to pinch myself erstwhile I deliberation Stephen Daldry is doing a play based connected an thought that we had. It's genuinely mind-blowing. The information that it is really happening present and it's happening soon is surreal."

Despite being successful the mediate of shooting Stranger Things play 5 travel opening night, the member said they were "not missing this play for anything" and would beryllium travelling to London.

Previews of the amusement volition statesman connected 17 November.