Stranger Things creators Shawn Levy, Duffer Brothers leave Netflix for Disney, Paramount

Shawn Levy and his production company 21 Laps Entertainment have signed a multi-year overall deal with Disney's 20th Television, according to a report first published by Yahoo Entertainment on September 28, 2026. The agreement ends what Yahoo and Pirates and Princesses describe as a tenure of nearly a decade at Netflix, during which Levy executive produced all five seasons of Stranger Things and directed several of its episodes.

The new deal calls for Levy to develop and produce series across Disney Entertainment's portfolio of platforms and brands. Disney's president and chief creative officer, Dana Walden, said in a statement that Levy has "a rare ability to tell stories that are wildly entertaining and deeply human" across genres.

Why Netflix's CEO says the departures happened

Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos addressed the exits publicly, saying both Levy and the Duffer Brothers wanted to shift their focus toward theatrical filmmaking rather than television. He said the Duffer Brothers, after about a decade at Netflix, no longer wanted to make television shows for now and instead wanted to make large theatrical films, adding that he supported their decision.

On Levy, who is directing the upcoming Lucasfilm production Star Wars: Starfighter, Sarandos said holding an overall deal with someone who also had film commitments elsewhere created ongoing scheduling conflicts for Netflix, and that moving his deal to Disney, which also owns Lucasfilm, made practical sense.

What stays at Netflix

Despite the departures, Sarandos said Netflix retains ownership of the Stranger Things franchise and expects the franchise to remain part of the company's success going forward. He pointed to an upcoming hockey drama, The Sticks, as a project still in development with Levy at Netflix.

Levy is also expected to stay involved with Stranger Things-related material at Netflix, including the animated spinoff Stranger Things: Tales from '85, even as his new overall deal with Disney formally begins in October 2027, according to the Yahoo report.

The Duffer Brothers' move to Paramount

Matt and Ross Duffer signed an exclusive four-year deal with Paramount, announced on August 19, 2025, covering feature films, television and streaming projects through their production company, Upside Down Pictures, led by the brothers and president Hilary Leavitt, according to reporting from TheWrap and ScreenRant. The agreement took effect in April 2026, after their Netflix contract concluded.

The brothers said in a statement reported by TheWrap and ScreenRant that they were enthusiastic about joining Paramount and described making large-scale theatrical films as the fulfillment of a long-held ambition. Paramount's deal reunites them with former Netflix executives Cindy Holland and Matt Thunell, who had supported Stranger Things during its original run at Netflix, ScreenRant reported.

Before their exit, the Duffers retained Netflix obligations including Stranger Things Season 5, the series finale, plus related spinoff projects such as Tales from '85 and an anime set in Tokyo, along with other Stranger Things-adjacent titles reported as Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen and The Boroughs.

Background: a decade-long run at Netflix

Levy spent close to fifteen years at 20th Century Fox Television between 2003 and 2020 before moving his overall deal to Netflix, according to the piratesandprincesses.net report. Disney's 2019 acquisition of 21st Century Fox's entertainment assets means his return to 20th Television, now under Disney ownership, is effectively a reunion with a studio where he previously worked.

The timing of Levy's Disney deal coincides with the scheduled May 28, 2027 release of Star Wars: Starfighter, starring Ryan Gosling.

• Shawn Levy signs multi-year overall deal with Disney's 20th Television, announced September 28, 2026
• Deal takes effect October 2027; Levy keeps some Netflix projects including The Sticks and Tales from '85
• Matt and Ross Duffer signed a four-year Paramount deal in August 2025, effective around April 2026
• Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos says both moves reflect a shift toward theatrical filmmaking
• Netflix says it retains ownership of the Stranger Things franchise