The finale of Stranger Things season five has aired on Netflix, and fans are already dissecting it for clues about the upcoming spin-off. The Duffer Brothers have confirmed which Easter egg viewers should look out for, as it will be key to understanding the new series.
One popular fan theory suggested that Hopper and Joyce would get their own show after moving to Montauk, a real town that partly inspired the experiments in Stranger Things. However, in an interview with Deadline, Ross Duffer clarified that this was merely a nod to the show's original name, Montauk, before it was changed to Hawkins, Indiana. 'There's no Montauk spinoff,' he said. 'That was more of a wink to the fans.'
Instead, the real clue lies in Henry Creel's origin story. In the finale, Henry finds a rock inside a scientist's briefcase that gives him powers and connects him to the Mind Flayer. This ties into the West End play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which revealed that Henry went missing in the desert and returned changed. Matt Duffer told The Hollywood Reporter that the rock's origin will be addressed in the spin-off, which will feature 'an entirely new mythology' but will answer lingering questions about Henry's memory.
The Duffer Brothers also confirmed to Variety that they will begin work on the spin-off from January 5, with Matt expressing excitement about starting fresh with new characters, a new town, and new mythology. Additionally, an animated series titled Stranger Things: Tales from '85, featuring the original characters, is expected in 2026.
