In the first major talent deal of the Skydance era, Matt and Ross Duffer have inked an exclusive four-year arrangement for their Upside Down Pictures entity to provide new feature film, television, and streaming projects to Paramount. The new contract will become effective in April 2026 upon the expiration of the brothers’ current deal with Netflix. Under the terms of the agreement, the duo will be producing content for Paramount Pictures, Paramount Television, and Paramount Direct-to-Consumer.
In announcing the deal, Dana Goldberg and Josh Greenstein, co-chairs of Paramount Pictures, issued a statement that said: “We are thrilled that the incomparable Duffer Brothers are joining our Paramount family. Their singular talent for creating stories and worlds that shape culture sets them apart, and this partnership is a great example of the new Paramount in action – our film, television, and streaming businesses united to offer Matt and Ross the full power of our platforms to tell their best and most ambitious stories yet.”
Cindy Holland, the chair of Paramount’s Direct-to-Consumer, added: “I’ve had the privilege of knowing Matt and Ross for over a decade and worked with them from their earliest stages through their deserving global success. We have seen firsthand their extraordinary creative vision and exceptional gift for storytelling. We couldn’t be more excited to reunite and welcome them to Paramount.”
The Duffer brothers were quoted as saying: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Paramount family. David, Josh, and Dana are passionate about bringing bold, original films to the big screen. To be part of that mission is not just exciting – it’s the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. And to do so at a studio with such a storied Hollywood legacy is a privilege we don’t take lightly. We’re also excited to reunite with our friends Cindy [Holland] and Matt [Thunell], who were among the very first to believe in us and an unusual little script we wrote that became Stranger Things. They took a chance on us in 2015, and they’re taking a chance again – we can’t wait to create new stories together.”
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