The visionary creators behind Netflix's global phenomenon, Stranger Things, have officially closed the door on a widespread fan theory concerning the show's upcoming spin-off series. Ross and Matt Duffer, known as the Duffer Brothers, clarified the situation in a post-finale interview following the epic conclusion of the supernatural drama's fifth season.
The Finale's Tantalising Tease
The series finale, which aired on Thursday, 1st January 2026, delivered emotional closure and a glimpse into the future for the beloved residents of Hawkins. After a climactic battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Mind Flayer, the epilogue jumped forward 18 months. In a heartwarming scene, Jim Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder) finally enjoyed a romantic dinner at Enzo's, where Hopper proposed.
Joyce accepted, and the couple shared a dance. Crucially, Hopper suggested they consider moving away from Hawkins after a friend tipped him off about a police chief position opening up in Montauk, New York. This specific geographical reference immediately sent the show's dedicated fanbase into a frenzy of speculation.
Fan Theory Meets Cold Reality
Viewers quickly connected the dots, theorising that the Long Island town of Montauk could serve as the perfect setting for the already-confirmed spin-off series. Social media platform X was alight with comments, with one user exclaiming, "WAIT HOPPER WANTS TO GO TO MONTAUK?!!!" and another predicting it was an "Easter egg for the next spinoff."
However, speaking to Deadline, the Duffer Brothers have sadly confirmed this is not the case. Ross Duffer explained that the mention of Montauk was actually a "cheeky allusion" to the show's own origins. Back in 2015, the project was initially announced as a supernatural drama titled Montauk before the location was changed to the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana.
"There's no Montauk spinoff," Ross stated definitively. "That was more of a wink to the fans, deep-cut fans that know that the show started as Montauk."
What the Spin-off Will Actually Be
While debunking the Montauk theory, the brothers did offer some concrete details about the new project. They confirmed that a hint towards the spin-off is indeed hidden somewhere within the finale, encouraging fans to start their detective work on a rewatch.
The Duffer Brothers were careful to manage expectations, emphasising that the new series will not be a direct continuation with the same characters. "It's obviously not Holly (Nell Fisher) and the kids or anything like that," Ross said. "It's something much smaller than that."
Instead, they described a project with its own distinct identity. "The spinoff idea we have... it is an entirely new mythology," Ross revealed. He added that while it will be connected to the original series and answer some lingering questions from the finale, it will primarily tell its own story. In a separate interview with Variety, he noted there would be some "connective tissue" but stressed it wouldn't resemble the expansive, crossover-heavy model of franchises like Star Wars.
The emotional finale, which saw Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) bid a heartfelt farewell, marked the end of an era for the Hawkins gang. Yet, with the Duffer Brothers' new mythology on the horizon, the world of Stranger Things is set to expand in unexpected ways. All episodes of the main series remain available to stream on Netflix.
