The Duffer Brothers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Matt and Ross Duffer
Matt (left) and Ross (right) Duffer at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	(1984-02-15) February 15, 1984 (age 41) Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
Education	Chapman University (BFA)
Occupation	Television writers directors producers
Years active	2005–present
Known for	Stranger Things
Spouse(s)	Leigh Janiak ​ ​ (m. 2015; separated 2024)​ (Ross)

Matt and Ross Duffer, born on February 15, 1984, are twin brothers who work together as American writers, directors, and producers for TV and movies. They are often called the Duffer Brothers. They are most famous for creating, directing, and producing the popular Netflix science fiction series Stranger Things. They also wrote and directed the horror movie Hidden (2015). In addition, they wrote and produced episodes for the TV show Wayward Pines. The Duffer Brothers started their own production company called Upside Down Pictures, which works closely with Netflix.

The Duffer Brothers' Journey in Film and TV

After making several short films, the Duffer Brothers wrote a script called "Origin." This helped them get an agent. Later, their script for the horror film Hidden was bought by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2011. The brothers directed Hidden, which came out in 2015. After that, they worked as writers and producers for the TV series Wayward Pines on Fox. As of 2024, they are also executive producers for a Netflix show called The Boroughs. This show is a supernatural drama set in a retirement community.

Creating Stranger Things

With their experience in television, the Duffer Brothers started sharing their idea for a new TV series. This idea eventually reached Shawn Levy, a well-known producer. With Levy's production company, 21 Laps Entertainment, supporting them, Netflix quickly decided to make the show.

The series, Stranger Things, is set in the 1980s in Indiana. It pays tribute to the pop culture of that time. The show's style and inspiration come from the works of famous directors and writers like Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Stephen King, and others.

The first season of Stranger Things was released on July 15, 2016. It received huge praise for its characters, story pace, atmosphere, acting, music, directing, and writing. It quickly gained a large group of dedicated fans online. The website Rotten Tomatoes, which collects reviews, gave the series a 95% approval rating. Critics said it was "Exciting, heartbreaking, and sometimes scary." They also noted that it was an "addictive homage to Spielberg films and vintage 1980s television."

On September 30, 2019, Netflix announced that they had signed a deal with the Duffer Brothers for more movies and TV shows. In March 2021, the brothers shared that they would work with Steven Spielberg to turn Stephen King's novel The Talisman into a Netflix series. They are executive producers for this project.

After the fourth season of Stranger Things came out in July 2022, the Duffer Brothers launched their production company, Upside Down Pictures. Through this company, they made a new commitment to Netflix for several new projects. These projects include a live-action TV show based on Death Note and another series based on The Talisman. They are also working on a follow-up series to Stranger Things.

The Duffer Brothers' Early Life

The Duffer Brothers grew up in Durham, North Carolina. Their mother, Ann M. Christensen, worked as a real estate broker. Their father, Allen P. Duffer Jr., loved films and was a project director. The twins started making films when they were in third grade. They used a Hi8 video camera that their parents gave them as a gift.

They attended the Duke School for Children from kindergarten through eighth grade. Then, they went to Charles E. Jordan High School, a public school in Durham. They wanted to study film together. They were accepted into the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, but they didn't want to be educated separately. They visited other film schools but were not accepted. However, someone they met suggested Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. They moved to Orange, California, and graduated from Chapman University in 2007. Matt Duffer has one child, and actress Winona Ryder is the godmother.

Film and Television Projects

Film

Television

Awards and Recognitions

The Duffer Brothers and their show Stranger Things have received many awards and nominations. Here are some of the notable ones:

• 2016:
  • American Film Institute Award: Top 10 TV Programs of the Year (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Critics' Choice Television Award: Best Drama Series (Stranger Things) - Nominated
• 2017:
  • American Film Institute Award: Top 10 TV Programs of the Year (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Directors Guild of America Award: Outstanding Directing – Drama Series (Stranger Things for "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers") - Nominated
  • Dragon Award: Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Fangoria Chainsaw Award: Best TV Series (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Golden Globe Award: Best Television Series – Drama (Stranger Things) - Nominated
  • MTV Movie & TV Award: Best Show (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Producers Guild of America Award: Best Episodic Drama (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Saturn Award: Best New Media Television Series (Stranger Things) - Won
• 2018:
  • MTV Movie & TV Award: Best Show (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award: Favorite TV Show (Stranger Things) - Won
  • NME Award: Best TV Series (Stranger Things) - Won
• 2019:
  • People's Choice Awards: Drama Show of 2019 (Stranger Things) - Won
  • People's Choice Awards: Show of 2019 (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Saturn Award: Best Streaming Horror & Thriller Series (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Teen Choice Award: Choice Summer TV Show (Stranger Things) - Won
• 2020:
  • Satellite Award: Best Genre Series (Stranger Things) - Won
  • Primetime Emmy Award: Outstanding Drama Series (Stranger Things) - Nominated

See also

In Spanish: Hermanos Duffer para niños