How Game of Thrones Helped The Duffer Brothers Make Stranger Things

The creators of the hit Netflix series have openly shared how another television giant provided a blueprint for their success. With the final season of Stranger Things approaching, Matt and Ross Duffer explained that they used the success of Game of Thrones as a strategic example to convince Netflix to invest more heavily in their show.

They pointed to the way the HBO series expanded in scale and ambition with each season, arguing that the same approach would benefit their own project.

Learning from Television’s Biggest Hit

In a recent interview, the Duffer Brothers discussed the shows and filmmakers that influenced their journey. When it came to managing the growth of their series, they consistently looked to Game of Thrones and its showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

Matt Duffer stated, “In terms of television, we always looked to Game of Thrones and what Dan and David did. They used the success to scale the show up and evolve it, and it snowballed”. This observation became a key part of their negotiations with Netflix. The brothers told the streamer that increasing the show’s scale would, in turn, expand its audience.

This strategy proved successful. The budget for Stranger Things grew significantly over its run, mirroring the path of Game of Thrones. The final season of the Netflix show is reported to have a budget of around $50-60 million per episode.

More Than Monsters: Other Key Influences

Beyond the epic fantasy series, the Duffers cited other creative inspirations. Another major influence was filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan. Matt Duffer noted a parallel in their careers, pointing out that Shyamalan had a movie that was “a total dud” before making The Sixth Sense, which became a “massive phenomenon.”

“Like us, he had a movie that was a total dud, and then he did The Sixth Sense, which became this massive phenomenon,” Matt observes. “He kept making original films.”

This resilience and commitment to original storytelling resonated with the brothers after their own early career challenges.

The Personal Side of Hawkins

The Duffer Brothers also shared that many of the show’s emotional storylines are drawn from their own experiences. They confirmed that the character of Mike Wheeler, played by Finn Wolfhard, is the closest to their own personalities. Wolfhard was cast in part because of these similarities.

They also channeled their difficult high school years into the show, particularly through Max’s emotional storyline in Season 4. Matt Duffer explained that at the time, there was little awareness about mental health, making those struggles feel confusing and isolating. Creating the show became a way to process those feelings and connect with audiences going through similar challenges.

The final season of Stranger Things will be released in three parts. Volume 1 arrives on November 26, 2025, followed by Volume 2 on December 25, 2025. The series finale will be released on December 31, 2025.

---