Stranger Things creators respond to emotional series ending scenes – and reveal which spin-off ideas aren’t happening

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*Warning – contains major spoilers for the Stranger Things finale.*

The latest season of Stranger Things recently concluded with a moving, two-hour finale, bringing a mix of joy and sadness for fans.

Many viewers worried several beloved characters would die, but ultimately only Eleven appeared to sacrifice herself to destroy the Upside Down. However, she might still be alive, depending on a theory Mike shares at the very end of the show.

In a recent interview with Deadline, the creators of the show, Matt and Ross Duffer, described the last days of filming as “very emotional,” and said many people on set were crying.

Ross explained that seeing everyone together felt like a natural conclusion to a long journey. After the busy time of filming and promoting the project, it was a peaceful and lovely way to wrap things up, especially seeing how much everyone had changed over time.

Matt explained that the possibility of Eleven dying had been something they’d been considering for a long time. He revealed that when the show was initially planned as a short, one-season story, the ending involved Eleven making a sacrifice.

We started planning season 5 by discussing how the story would end, particularly what would happen with the character Eleven. It was a challenging conversation.

We’ve followed Millie’s story for a decade, so deciding to move her storyline forward was incredibly difficult and emotional. Ultimately, though, it felt like the right choice.

Ross explained that the storyline always led to the kids being in the basement, something the writers had planned for eight years. The idea really came together when they wrote the line, ‘I believe,’ for Mike’s character. This happened very early in the writing process for this season – around weeks two or three in the writers’ room.

As Holly took on a more central role – essentially taking over leadership – we knew early on what we wanted to accomplish with this basement scene. We had those ideas even before we began writing the season, and everything we did was building towards that moment.

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They were also questioned about any future spin-offs they’re working on, in addition to the already revealed animated show, ‘Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85’.

Although they didn’t reveal the plot of the spin-off, they did state what topics it wouldn’t cover.

I was so intrigued when Hopper mentioned Montauk! But apparently, it’s not going to be a full-blown spin-off show centered around that location. The creators, like Ross Duffer, explained it was more of an Easter egg for the really dedicated fans – those of us who remember the show originally started as a ‘Montauk’ story. It definitely won’t involve Holly and the kids, thankfully! It sounds like they’re planning something much smaller in scope, and honestly, I’m really excited because it’s going to be a completely new story and mythology. They’re still in the very early stages of development, but it’s a fresh start, which is awesome.

This show is connected to the original series and will address questions viewers still have after the finale, particularly those left unanswered. The spin-off will explore these points, but it also has its own unique story and established lore.

Don’t miss out on Stranger Things! Add it to your watchlist on the TopMob: What to Watch app. Download the app today for daily TV suggestions, articles, and more.

Authors

James HibbsDrama Writer

James Hibbs writes about TV dramas for TopMob, covering shows on streaming services and traditional channels. Before becoming a writer, he worked in public relations, first at a business-to-business agency and then at Fremantle, an international TV production company. He has a bachelor’s degree in English and Theatre Studies, and a Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.

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2026-01-02 14:10