How ‘Stranger Things’ became Netflix’s ‘Star Wars,’ propelling it into Hollywood’s stratosphere

Before the sci-fi series Stranger Things premiered on Netflix, it had already been dropped by several traditional studios. It was created by first-time showrunners, cast unknown young actors in the lead roles, and although the play starred children, it was not for children.

This was nine years ago.

The show, set in the 1980s and about a monster who wreaks havoc in the fictional Hawkins, Indiana, has struck a chord with Netflix subscribers around the world. Stranger Things has since become one of the streamer's most culturally significant shows, with its fourth season racking up 140.7 million views in its first three months and ranking as the third-best English-language series. This has been instrumental in developing new business for Netflix, including live events, Broadway productions and inspiring brands looking to partner on licensed merchandise. It became a core franchise for the platform, a chance to build a universe around the main characters and create their own version of Star Wars.

The show has helped cement Netflix's reputation as a place that bets big on original ideas and, if it's a hit, could create a large following for such programs thanks to its worldwide subscriber base.

Netflix took a chance with showrunner brothers Matt and Ross Duffer. The couple never imagined that the series, which first premiered in Silver Lake at Mack Sennett Studios, would become so popular.

This wasn't lost on Matt Duffer, who stood on stage at the final season premiere at the historic TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood earlier this month. The same place where Star Wars premiered in 1977.

“As a nerd, this is a dream come true,” Duffer told the audience.

In an interview, Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer, praised the series' success: “You can take a bet on an original story and turn it into a major franchise with huge global appeal.”

Other Netflix shows like House of Cards have certainly captured the zeitgeist before, but co-CEO Ted Sarandos said he believes Stranger Things stands above some previous hits.

““It was much closer to a 'Star Wars' moment,” Sarandos said while speaking on stage at the premiere of the final season of Stranger Things in Hollywood earlier this month. “This show, and these characters, have moved culture, spawned live action, consumer products, spin-offs and sequels… Everything from the first episode of the first season to First Shadow, the Broadway show, the origin story of Upside Down, it was and is a wonderful addition to the culture.” entertainment.”

The past four seasons of Stranger Things were in the top 10 last week, Netflix said. From 2020 through the second quarter of 2025, Stranger Things generated more than $1 billion in worldwide streaming revenue for Netflix and attracted more than 2 million new subscribers, according to Parrot Analytics, which tracks streaming data. Netflix declined to comment on Parrot's valuation.

“Every streaming service needs an anchor series that drives customer acquisition and helps define original programming,” said Brandon Katz, director of analytics and content strategy at Greenlight Analytics, adding that for Hulu it’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” and for Disney+ it’s “The Mandalorian.” Stranger Things was certainly that event for Netflix. Every few years that it airs, Netflix knows that there is a guaranteed high ceiling on its ability to attract, retain and viewership,” Katz said.

Stranger Things also helped Netflix enter the licensed merchandise market, and brands wanted to collaborate with the platform. There are Eggo themed breakfasts, Lego sets and clothing.

The series “has been a catalyst for Netflix in exploring all the ways one entertainment property can become an entire global way of life,” said Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.

His popularity also helped other creative employees.

Artists whose songs were featured on the show rose in the charts. Kate Bush “Up the Hill” aired in its fourth season and peaked at number one on the Billboard Global 200 and number four on the Billboard Hot 100, 37 years after its original release, Netflix said. Metallica's 1986 song “Puppet Master” also entered the UK top 30 for the first time after playing in the Season 4 final, the streamer added.

The series has received more than 65 awards and 175 nominations. Netflix estimates that Stranger Things helped create 8,000 production-related jobs in the US over its five seasons and has contributed more than $1.4 billion to US GDP since 2015. Netflix estimates that the series generated more than $500 million in GDP in California.

Netflix is ​​mounting a massive marketing campaign, hosting fan events in 28 cities and 21 countries as the series comes to an end. On Sunday, the streamer hosted a bike ride along a stretch of Melrose Avenue in collaboration with CicLAvia, during which 50,000 fans were invited to dress up in '80s clothing or as Stranger Things characters. The Stranger Things float appeared in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday.

The company began phasing out the final season with four episodes that debuted Wednesday. Three more episodes will be released on Christmas Day, and the two-hour finale will be released on December 31 on Netflix. The final will also take place in more than 350 cinemas in the USA and Canada on December 31 and January 1.

Stranger Things fans Kelly Audren and Jason Serstock said they rewatched the show from the beginning to refresh their memories of the whole story, and were still on season two as of earlier this month. The couple attended last season's premiere in Hollywood.

“All the costumes and everything were so perfect that you just feel like you're back in the '80s,” said Audrain, 29, dressed as the character Eleven from “Stranger Things,” wearing a pink dress and a fake bloody nose.

Netflix is ​​expanding the show's universe with an animated series, Stranger Things: Stories from '85, next year. In April Netflix “Stranger Things: The First ShadowThe play became a hit on Broadway. The company has also opened pop-up Stranger Things stores, hosted live performances and will introduce immersive experiences at its locations. Netflix House locations, including Stranger Things: Escape from Darkness in Dallas. In Las Vegas, Netflix will be offering themed dishes like Surfer Boy Pizza at its Netflix Bites restaurant.

Duffers recently told Deadline Netflix is ​​working on a spin-off. Bajaria declined to say anything about it, but said: “I think the world is really rich and there are many more stories in it.”

But there are problems ahead of us. Netflix, considered a leader in subscription streaming, has completed its year with two major flagship series, “Stranger Things” and the Korean-language drama “The Squid Game.” Analysts say the company will have to keep producing popular shows and movies to keep subscribers coming back.

Netflix has successfully expanded its Squid Game franchise to include the reality TV series Squid Game.Game “Squid: Challenge”“, where more than 95% of viewers also watched the scripted series. Other popular franchises such as the Addams Family series “A Wednesday”, pirate tale “One Piece” and the Regency romance “Bridgerton” continue. Netflix's popular animated film “KPop Demon Hunters” will receive a sequel.

Separately Netflix made a bet piece by piece Warner Bros. Discovery, with interest from Warner's Burbank Studios and HBO, according to people familiar with the matter. If the acquisition is successful, it will significantly expand Netflix's library of films and intellectual properties.

Although the Duffer brothers still have projects with Netflix, they recently signed a deal. four-year exclusive contract with Paramount for feature film, television and streaming projects. Some industry observers considered this a loss for Netflix.

“The Duffers are so young and they're just getting started,” said Tom Noonan, a former studio and network executive. “I have no doubt that they will have more hits and more diverse successes in the future,” he said, adding that the brothers' work at Paramount could rival Netflix.

But Bajaria noted that the Duffers still have some projects in the works at Netflix, including sci-fi series.Districts” and horror series “Something very bad is going to happen”

“They will always be part of the Netflix family, and I'm glad we still have something to do with them,” Bajaria said.

Times staff writer Meg James contributed to this article.