Matt and Ross Duffer recently left Netflix for Paramount because they have the kind of theatrical ambitions Netflix cannot offer them. They now have an untitled feature film set to hit theaters in 2028.
Meanwhile, Netflix has not taken the breakup so well. This week, news broke that its sci-fi drama series The Boroughs, which had delivered solid audience numbers, was canceled less than a month after its debut. The decision came while the show was still ranked No. 2 on Netflix’s charts.
The sci-fi drama, produced by the Duffers and starring Alfred Molina, Geena Davis, Alfre Woodard, Denis O’Hare, Clarke Peters, and Bill Pullman, rose to No. 1 on Netflix’s TV charts during its first full week with 9.5 million views and remained in the Top 10 for four consecutive weeks.
Of course, many people are now wondering whether this was a spiteful cancellation on Netflix’s part. THR has sources suggesting tensions arose after the Duffers signed a four-year deal with Paramount, though Netflix continues to deny that the cancellation was motivated by anything other than business considerations.
One source told the outlet that relations have been “tough” since the Duffers left for Paramount, claiming the brothers had “embarrassed” Netflix by taking their next major overall deal to a rival studio. The source suggested that senior Netflix executives were unhappy to see two of the platform’s most valuable creatives depart after helping build the service into a streaming powerhouse.
Netflix denies this, claiming the show was simply too expensive, costing roughly $10 million per episode, with some suggesting the actual figure was even higher.
Critically, The Boroughs performed well. It earned a 97% Certified Fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes. The story follows Sam Cooper, a grieving newcomer to a seemingly idyllic retirement community who discovers a monstrous threat lurking beneath the surface. Alongside a group of fellow seniors, he investigates the mystery and uncovers dark secrets hidden within the community.
Ultimately, this seems to be a case of bruised feelings. The notion that Netflix would have canceled this show if the Duffers were still at the company is preposterous. There is virtually no chance that would have happened, particularly just weeks after its debut. Such a swift cancellation is also likely to discourage many viewers from investing in a new series if they believe there is little chance of the story continuing.
The theatrical version runs 108 minutes, so we're talking a nearly 2-hour-10-minute cut of a movie that works because it's lean, and I'm not sure anyone needs that.