The Duffer Brothers
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Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, born February 15, 1984, are American filmmakers and television show creators, better known as the Duffer Brothers. These identical twins are a creative powerhouse, working as a pair on every project. They're famously the minds behind the Netflix science fiction horror sensation, *Stranger Things*, a series they created, directed, and executive produced. But their talent doesn't stop there. They also wrote and directed the horror film *Hidden* in 2015 and penned and produced episodes for the Fox sci-fi series *Wayward Pines*. The Duffer Brothers even founded their own production company, Upside Down Pictures, with a significant overall deal at Netflix.
Their journey into filmmaking began early. After directing several short films, their script, "Origin," landed them an agent. Their post-apocalyptic horror script, *Hidden*, was snapped up by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2011, leading to their directorial debut with the film's release in 2015. Following this success, they were brought on as writers and producers for the Fox series *Wayward Pines*. As of 2024, they're also executive producing *The Boroughs*, a Netflix supernatural drama set in a New Mexico retirement community.
With solid television experience under their belts, they pitched their vision for *Stranger Things*. Dan Cohen brought the idea to Shawn Levy, and with the backing of Levy's 21 Laps production company, Netflix quickly picked up the show. Set in 1980s Indiana, *Stranger Things* is a love letter to 80s pop culture, drawing inspiration from the masterful works of Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Sam Raimi, David Lynch, Stephen King, and George Lucas, among others.
Released on July 15, 2016, the show was met with widespread acclaim, particularly for its compelling characters, masterful pacing, immersive atmosphere, stellar acting, unforgettable soundtrack, and sharp directing and writing. It quickly cultivated a dedicated online following. Rotten Tomatoes gave the series an impressive 92% approval rating, with critics praising it as "Exciting, heartbreaking, and sometimes scary, *Stranger Things* acts as an addictive homage to Spielberg films and vintage 1980s television."
On September 30, 2019, Netflix announced an extended partnership with the Duffers, securing their creative talents for future films and television shows. In March 2021, the duo revealed they would be collaborating with Steven Spielberg to adapt Stephen King and Peter Straub's *The Talisman* as a Netflix series, serving as executive producers through Amblin Partners and Monkey Massacre, with Curtis Gwinn, a *Stranger Things* alum, on board as writer and showrunner.
Following the premiere of *Stranger Things* season four in July 2022, the Duffers launched Upside Down Pictures, reaffirming their commitment to Netflix with a slate of new projects. This includes a live-action adaptation of *Death Note*, a series adaptation of *The Talisman*, and a follow-up series to *Stranger Things*. In a notable development in October 2023, Ross Duffer signed an open letter to President Joe Biden, thanking him for his support of Israel. Matt, however, did not sign.
Looking ahead, in August 2025, it was announced that the Duffer Brothers and their company would be transitioning to a four-year deal at Paramount, marking the end of their long-standing partnership with Netflix. This new deal will not only involve creating new series from Paramount's TV and streaming divisions but also offer the duo the opportunity to produce and direct theatrical feature films, a possibility that wasn't available during their Netflix tenure.
The Duffer Brothers were born and raised in Durham, North Carolina. Their parents are Ann M. Christensen, a part-time real estate broker, and Allen P. Duffer Jr., a film enthusiast and Research Triangle Institute Project Director. Their filmmaking journey began in the third grade with a Hi8 video camera gifted by their parents. They attended the Duke School for Children and later Charles E. Jordan High School. While accepted to Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, they preferred to study together. After exploring New York University and USC, they found their home at Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, graduating in 2007. Matt has one child with his fiancée, Sarah Hindsgaul, and Winona Ryder is the child's godmother.
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Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (born February 15, 1984), often credited as the Duffer Brothers, are both American filmmakers and television show makers. The brothers are identical twins and work on all their projects as a pair. They are best known as the creators, directors, and executive producers of the Netflix science fiction horror series Stranger Things (2016–2025), and have also written and directed the horror film Hidden (2015) and written and produced episodes of the Fox science fiction series Wayward Pines (2015–2016). The Duffer Brothers founded the production company Upside Down Pictures, which is in an overall deal with Netflix.
== Career ==
=== Early career ===
After the brothers had written and directed several short films, they wrote a script titled "Origin", which gained them an agent, and their script for the post-apocalyptic horror film Hidden was acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2011. The brothers directed Hidden, which was released in 2015. Next they were hired as writers and producers for the Fox television series Wayward Pines. As of 2024, they were also the executive producers of a Netflix show called The Boroughs, described as a supernatural drama set in a retirement community in the New Mexico desert.
=== Stranger Things ===
With experience in television, they began pitching their idea for Stranger Things, which Dan Cohen eventually brought to Shawn Levy. Backed by Levy's 21 Laps production company, the show was quickly picked up by Netflix. The show is set in 1980s Indiana and is an homage to 1980s pop culture, inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Sam Raimi, David Lynch, Stephen King, and George Lucas, among others.
It was released on July 15, 2016, to overwhelming praise, specifically for its characterization, pacing, atmosphere, acting, soundtrack, directing, writing, and homages to 1980s genre films. It began to develop a cult following online. Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the series an approval rating of 92%, based on 82 reviews, with a weighted average score of 7.96/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Exciting, heartbreaking, and sometimes scary, Stranger Things acts as an addictive homage to Spielberg films and vintage 1980s television."
On September 30, 2019, Netflix announced it had signed the Duffers for additional films and television shows over the coming years.
In March 2021, the duo announced they will team up with Spielberg to adapt Stephen King's and Peter Straub's The Talisman as a Netflix series. They will both be executive producers via Amblin Partners and Monkey Massacre and have hired Curtis Gwinn, who worked as a writer-executive producer on Stranger Things, to act as writer and showrunner of the project.
Following the premiere of the fourth season of Stranger Things in July 2022, the Duffers launched the production company Upside Down Pictures, for which they recommitted to Netflix with several new projects. Among these include a live-action series adaptation of Death Note and a series adaptation of The Talisman, in addition to their follow-up series to Stranger Things.
In October 2023, Ross Duffer was one of many working in the film and television industry that signed the open letter to President Joe Biden thanking him for his "unshakeable moral conviction" in supporting Israel with military funding and aid and petitioning the President to secure the release of more Israeli hostages. Matt, however, did not.
=== Paramount ===
In August 2025, it was announced that the brothers and their company would be signing a four-year deal at Paramount, which would result in the duos' departing from their long-time partnership at Netflix. Still, their deal at Paramount would not only create new series from the studio's TV and streaming division, but also an opportunity to produce and direct theatrical feature films for the studio as well, something that the duo wasn't able to do during their deal with Netflix.
== Personal lives ==
The Duffer Brothers were born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, the sons of Ann M. Christensen, a part-time real estate broker, and Allen P. Duffer Jr., a film buff and Research Triangle Institute Project Director.
They began making films in the third grade, using a Hi8 video camera that was a gift from their parents. They attended the Duke School for Children a private suburban school, from grades K through 8, and then the Charles E. Jordan High School, a large Durham public school.
They were accepted at the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, but were not willing to be educated separately. They toured New York University Tisch School of the Arts Department of Cinema Studies and USC School of Cinematic Arts but were not accepted, but someone they met introduced them to someone, who suggested Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts for film study and they relocated to Orange, California, where they graduated in 2007.
Matt has one child with his fiancée, Sarah Hindsgaul; Winona Ryder is the godmother.
== Filmography ==
Film
Television
== Awards ==
== References ==
=== Notes ===
== External links ==
Matt Duffer at IMDb
Ross Duffer at IMDb
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