The Duffer Brothers, creators of the global hit series "Stranger Things", have signed an exclusive four-year pact with Hollywood studio Paramount.
The deal, announced by Paramount on Tuesday, will cover feature films, television and streaming projects, according to entertainment news outlet Variety.
It marks a major coup for the media company as it seeks to strengthen its creative roster after it was acquired by David Ellison-led Skydance Media earlier this year Matt and Ross Duffer, who will move to Paramount from Netflix next year, are among the most sought-after creators in Hollywood. Upcoming projects will be developed through their production company, Upside Down Pictures, led by the brothers and their producing partner and president of the company, Hilary Leavitt.
“We couldn’t be more thrilled to be joining the Paramount family. 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," Matt and Ross Duffer said in a statement.
At Paramount, the duo will reunite with Cindy Holland, Paramount’s new head of streaming, who greenlit “Stranger Things” at Netflix, and Matt Thunell, president of Paramount Television, who also worked with the brothers at the streamer.
"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," they said.
Their move signals Paramount’s renewed focus on securing marquee talent, an effort that CEO David Ellison outlined last week when he pledged to make the studio “the top destination for the most talented artists and filmmakers in the world.” The agreement is the latest in a series of high-profile signings for the studio.
Earlier this month, on the first day of its merger, Paramount revealed that it had roped in actor Timothée Chalamet and director James Mangold for a motorcross heist film.
Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.