The long wait for Stranger Things Season 5 may be concluding the main story, but it is not the end of the beloved franchise. With the final chapter of the main series capturing the attention of viewers, anticipation is electric, yet fans need not mourn the end of the world of Hawkins. Hints from Netflix’s highest executive suggest that the Upside Down is ready to expand far beyond its current scope.

The streaming giant is already making moves to ensure the franchise remains a massive part of its content library.

Netflix’s chief executive officer, Ted Sarandos, while attending the Season 5 premiere in London, offered an intriguing tease about the franchise's future. He hinted to the passionate fanbase that the world of Hawkins, Indiana, and "the Upside Down is not over." Although the CEO refrained from revealing concrete details, sources suggest that internal discussions are underway for at least two new projects, specifically mentioning a live-action spin-off and a separate animated endeavour.

The franchise has already successfully diversified its narrative reach with a confirmed Broadway play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, and an upcoming animated show, Stranger Things: Tales From '85. That animated show will be set chronologically between the second and third seasons of the original series and will feature an entirely new voice cast. The Duffer Brothers, speaking to the Happy Sad Confused podcast, promised that while the narrative connects to the Stranger Things world, it would avoid a direct continuation of the Hawkins storyline.  

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The series' powerful legacy is clear, with its final season debut driving unprecedented viewership across all previous instalments.

Ahead of the final season premiere, the long-running sci-fi series achieved a massive platform milestone, with all four previous seasons simultaneously charting in the Netflix Top 10. This is the first time in the streaming service’s history that a single series has had all four of Stranger Things' existing seasons featured on the weekly global Top 10 list at the same time, underscoring its enduring popularity.

During the week of November 17–23, Season 1 was the third most-watched English-language series, followed closely by Season 4 in fifth place. Season 2 and Season 3 also made the chart at the seventh and ninth spots, respectively. Given the massive anticipation built up during the long wait since Season 4's 2022 release, the final season is fully expected to set its own new records when it makes its Top 10 debut.

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Are you waiting for Stranger Things spin-off projects and their respective formats? Let us know in the comments below.