The Stranger Things Creators Will Adapt Death Note for Netflix, But Not Everyone Is Pleased

Stranger Things has propelled the careers of its creators, the Duffer brothers. But with great hype comes great expectations. After stunning Netflix with Stranger Things’ record-breaking fourth season, the streamer has now tapped Matt and Ross Duffer to adapt the cult favorite manga series Death Note. 

It should come as no surprise that Netflix is pleased with the Duffer brothers after Stranger Things Season 4 delivered the biggest premiere weekend ever for an English language TV show on the platform and became the biggest show on the streamer after just one week. The streamer probably hopes the brothers can make more magic (and money) for the platform with another supernatural thriller.

Death Note was adapted by Netflix in 2017, but long story short, the adaptation flopped. Fans were displeased with all the changes. Despite its short print run, Death Note quickly developed a religious following. Set in Japan in the 2000s, Death Note follows a teenager who comes into possession of a black notebook that gives him the power to kill anyone he wants by writing a person’s name in the book. Written by Tsugumi Oba and illustrated by Takeshi Obata, Death Note became a cultural moment for manga readers around the world. On one hand, it was lauded for its unique plot; on the other, it was banned and demonized by governments and schools. 

Any adaptation of this beloved manga series is sure to attract some criticism; however, Netflix is willing to take another risk, this time with the Duffer brothers in tow. Suffice to say, fans are not happy with the news, and their expectations are already low. 

After the success of Stranger Things, the Duffer brothers created Upside Down Pictures, their own film studio that has even more projects lined up with Netflix. Aside from the Death Note adaptation, Upside Down Pictures will be creating an original series with Jeffrey Addis and Will Matthews, the creators of Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance. 

The Duffer brothers will also be teaming up with Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment and Paramount Television for a series adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Strauss’ 1984 novel The Talisman. 

Of course, this doesn’t mean the Stranger Things universe will come to an end. Far from it. Upside Down Pictures is set to produce a Stranger Things stage play with Netflix, which is perhaps the streamer’s first stage play. A Stranger Things spin-off is also in the works and fingers crossed it follows everyone’s favorite loudmouthed middle schooler Erica Sinclair. 

One thing all these projects have in common: They tread the fine line between reality and fantasy. All the Upside Down projects will exist in the realm of the supernatural, fantasy, and sci-fi, in line with the Duffer brothers’ goal to tell “stories that take place at that beautiful crossroads where the ordinary meets the extraordinary, where big spectacle co-exists with intimate character work, where heart wins out over cynicism.”

The studio will be run by Hilary Leavitt, who helped create Orphan Black and Ozark.