‘Stranger Things’ co-creator calls for bold ideas and new voices in TV

Matt Duffer, co-creator of the global Netflix hit Stranger Things, has called on Hollywood executives to take greater creative risks, warning that the industry is becoming too cautious in its approach to original storytelling.

Speaking at the Gotham TV Awards alongside his brother and co-showrunner Ross Duffer, Matt said the entertainment business should prioritize bold ideas and emerging voices over safe, formula-driven projects.

“I say this to anyone in the room with any level of power: let’s choose risk over fear,” he said. “Help new voices, make bold personal stories, then get out of the way.”

He added that encouraging originality is not only creatively rewarding but also commercially beneficial.

“It’s less work for you, it’ll make you money, and most importantly… it’ll result in cooler stuff,” he said.

The Duffers reflected on their own path to success, noting that before Stranger Things, they had never run a television series.

Despite that, Netflix granted them rare creative freedom to develop the sci-fi drama, which went on to become a worldwide phenomenon.

Matt Duffer said that level of trust “gave us confidence,” but warned that such opportunities are increasingly rare in a data-driven entertainment landscape shaped by algorithms and risk aversion.

Ross Duffer also revisited the early struggles of pitching the series, revealing that the original concept — a 50-page script centered on children but not designed specifically for them — was initially rejected by multiple studios.

“No one wanted to touch it,” he said, until Netflix ultimately took a chance on the project after recognizing its potential.