The Duffer Brothers (Matt and Ross Duffer), the creators of Stranger Things, will not allow any Season 5 spoilers to surface. But wait, they will at least debunk a popular fan theory about how the final season will end.
A developing theory has been circulating for a while now, according to which the characters in Stranger Things‘ love of the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons is actually a plot twist that the show has been hiding in plain sight. The idea that the show’s events are all part of the Dungeons & Dragons game, however, has been categorically refuted by the show’s creators.
It should come as no surprise that writers for film and television shows frequently go to great lengths to connect the dots and construct complex conspiracy theories in their shows. However, in the Duffer Brothers’ case, it appears that this phenomenon has nothing to do with classic M. Night Shyamalan works that contain many twists, turns, and supernatural elements.
The Creators Disprove a Popular Stranger Things Ending Theory
The creators of Stranger Things, Matt and Ross Duffer, have officially refuted a widely-held fan theory regarding the show’s fifth and final episode. Fans of the critically acclaimed Netflix series have been creating elaborate theories about how the show will end in anticipation of its upcoming final season. Though many theories have been proposed regarding the show, the most outlandish one to become widely accepted is that the events leading up to the conclusion are linked with the complex Dungeons & Dragons game, and the show itself never happened.
Nonetheless, the Duffer brothers shot down the D&D concept in a red-carpet interview with Metro at the premiere of the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Ross Duffer chimed in with a clarification:
‘That would be the equivalent of, ‘That’s all a dream’. No, I assure you that is not how we’re going to end the show. We’ve known where we’ve been going for a while. And we feel comfortable with it.’
Meanwhile, the brothers chuckled when Matt Duffer made a joke about the Dungeons & Dragons theory.
“That is correct. That is the ending…. No.”
The Brothers claimed that they are happy with the direction and have known for some time that the show is ending. Ross Duffer continued:
“Hopefully, it satisfies everyone. We’ll see.”
The Duffer Brothers have finally refuted this especially absurd theory, which may have given more mind-bending twists like those of beloved director M. Night Shyamalan’s works. But did you know that the acclaimed director also contributed to Stranger Things’ creation?
Stranger Things: The Way M. Night Shyamalan Contributed to the Show
Despite never having worked on Stranger Things, M. Night Shyamalan was involved in the development of the Duffer Brothers’ series. They imitated the former’s style when they wrote and produced the 2015 movie Hidden. Also, during the making of Wayward Pines‘ episode, the Praying with Anger director mentored the brothers, preparing them for the next step—producing their own television show. They told Rolling Stone:
“Then [producer] Donald De Line told us he’d read our script for Hidden and asked us to do Wayward Pines. That became our training ground, and M. Night Shyamalan became a great mentor to us. By the time we came out of that show, we were like, ‘OK, we know how to put together a show.’ And that’s when we wrote Stranger Things.”
Earlier, Digital Spy reported that talks were circulating that Shyamalan was considering directing a Stranger Things episode. According to the outlet, he would be thrilled to helm an episode of the ’80s-themed Netflix series. He told Digital Spy:
“My boys who do Stranger Things, they did Wayward Pines for me. They were round my house and I was like, ‘Well, you can hire me back guy’!”
The series has amassed over 5 million followers, making it the most popular TV show in TV Time’s history on social media. It is unknown at this time whether the final season of Stranger Things will be available on Netflix by the end of 2024 or sometime in 2025, as production on the show begins in January.
Netflix has Stranger Things seasons 1–4 available for streaming.
