Concluding a television franchise that’s as beloved as Stranger Things must be a nerve-wracking ordeal, but the Duffer brothers cut a clever corner by asking Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan for advice.
In a chat with SFX Magazine, Matt Duffer revealed that they asked Gilligan’s opinion and as a result, the ending has become “more interesting and exciting than originally envisioned by me and Ross.” He further adds:
We know what the ending is. It’s conceivable that it changes but I think it’s unlikely because it’s one of those endings that just feels, and has always felt, right. And it also feels sort of inevitable. Then when you come up with it, you’re like, ‘Oh yeah well, that is absolutely what it has to be.’
Since Breaking Bad is recognized as one of the best TV shows in history and also among the few that actually managed to stick the landing, this may very well end up being the wisest thing the creative duo could have done for when Stranger Things returns for a fifth and final season.
The Duffers have also recently addressed the matter of spinoffs, noting that they’re open to doing more stuff in the fictional universe if the idea is “exciting enough.”
Stranger Things and its ambitious cast are soon returning for a penultimate season, set to premiere in two parts. The first part, consisting of four episodes, will premiere on Netflix on May 27, with the second part following suit five weeks after that on July 1.
