Hollywood has always thrived on spectacle, but in the streaming era, the true stage lies in power plays. Netflix once crowned the Duffer Brothers as the royal architects of Hawkins, yet whispers now suggest a dramatic shift. The duo is reportedly parting ways with their long-standing Netflix alliance, preparing to script a fresh chapter with Paramount. What reads like another industry deal feels more like a cliffhanger penned by their own hands, and fans are left with questions.

Fans are buzzing with questions about whether Stranger Things spinoffs will abandon Netflix as the Duffer Brothers head toward Paramount. The future of Hawkins feels uncertain, and here is the scoop fans have been waiting for.

The Duffer Brothers are closing in on a multi-million dollar deal with Paramount, shifting their creative energy toward blockbuster films and new projects under the studio’s wing. Yet the heart of Hawkins remains untouched. Since Stranger Things is a Netflix original, the intellectual property cannot simply migrate elsewhere. That means every planned spinoff is still safe within Netflix’s pipeline. The Paramount pact is about widening the Duffers’ playground, not uprooting the world of Hawkins.

The Paramount partnership may glitter with cinematic promise, but Netflix still holds the Duffers’ crown jewel. Through Upside Down Pictures, they continue to deliver for the streamer, with two new series already completed for 2026 and an animated prequel unveiled at Annecy. Once the fifth and final season lands in November, a live-action spinoff awaits, proving Hawkins will remain alive within Netflix’s ever-expanding universe. Just as fans speculate about the show’s future, they are also eager to understand why Stranger Things led Dacre Montgomery to step away from acting.

Is ‘Stranger Things’ Shifting to Paramount? Duffer Brothers' Latest Deal Creates Panic Over Show’s Future

Fame from Hawkins may have looked like a dream, but for Dacre Montgomery the shadows behind the spotlight told another story, one where stepping away became the bravest twist of all.

Dacre Montgomery revealed in his interview with PEOPLE that the sudden wave of Stranger Things fame felt both dazzling and destabilizing. Overnight, as he explained, “it's kind of like you lose your anonymity overnight,” and with it came a flood of expectations and labels he never asked for. Stardom may have appeared like a golden ticket, but it brought the exhausting weight of being packaged as a teen idol. For Montgomery, the most dramatic conflict unfolded not on-screen, but within.

Dacre Montgomery also reflected on how Stranger Things shifted his trajectory, steering him toward commercial roles when his heart longed for arthouse cinema and deeper character exploration. That realization pushed him to pause and reassess the roles and filmmakers he truly wanted to pursue. At the same time, Millie Bobby Brown’s quietest role in the show roared loudly across conversations, proving silence can be thunderous. Now, with Season 5 and spinoffs approaching, fans are on edge, eager to uncover everything.

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What do you think about the Duffer Brothers being in talks with Paramount, and what are your thoughts on the future of the spinoffs? Let us know in the comments below.