The Duffer Brothers facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Matt and Ross Duffer
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Matt (left) and Ross (right) Duffer at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born | February 15, 1984 Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
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| Education | Chapman University (BFA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 2015–present |
| Known for | Stranger Things |
| Spouse(s) |
Leigh Janiak
(m. 2015; separated 2024) |
Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (born February 15, 1984) are American twin brothers. They are famous for writing, directing, and producing TV shows and movies. Most people know them as the Duffer Brothers. They are the creators of the popular Netflix science fiction show Stranger Things, which started in 2016.
They also wrote and directed a horror movie called Hidden (2015). Before Stranger Things, they worked on the TV series Wayward Pines (2015–2016) for Fox. The brothers work together on all their projects. They even have their own company called Upside Down Pictures, which works closely with Netflix.
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Their Journey in Film and TV
Matt and Ross Duffer started by making several short films. One of their scripts, called "Origin," 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, the Duffer Brothers worked as writers and producers for the TV show Wayward Pines. They are also executive producers for a new Netflix show called The Boroughs. This show is a supernatural drama set in a retirement community in the New Mexico desert.
Creating Stranger Things
With their experience in TV, the Duffer Brothers started to share their idea for a new show. This idea eventually reached Shawn Levy, a producer. With Levy's company, 21 Laps Entertainment, Netflix quickly decided to make the show.
Stranger Things is set in the 1980s in Indiana. It's a special tribute to the pop culture of that time. The show gets its style and ideas from famous directors like Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, and writers like Stephen King.
The show was released on July 15, 2016. People loved it right away! They praised the characters, the story's speed, the spooky feeling, the acting, and the music. It quickly became very popular online. Many critics gave it high ratings. For example, Rotten Tomatoes gave it a 95% approval rating. They said Stranger Things is "Exciting, heartbreaking, and sometimes scary." They also called it "an addictive homage to Spielberg films and vintage 1980s television."
In 2019, Netflix signed a deal with the Duffer Brothers for more films and TV shows. In 2021, they announced they would work with Steven Spielberg. They plan to turn Stephen King's and Peter Straub's book The Talisman into a Netflix series.
After the fourth season of Stranger Things came out in 2022, the Duffer Brothers started their company, Upside Down Pictures. Through this company, they are working on new projects for Netflix. These include a live-action TV show based on Death Note and the series adaptation of The Talisman. They are also working on new shows that follow Stranger Things.
Their Lives
The Duffer Brothers grew up in Durham, North Carolina. Their mom was a real estate broker, and their dad loved movies. They started making films when they were in third grade. They used a Hi8 video camera that their parents gave them.
They went to the Duke School for Children and then Charles E. Jordan High School. They wanted to study film together. They were accepted into Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. They moved to Orange, California, and graduated in 2007. Matt Duffer has one child, and actress Winona Ryder is the godmother.
Their Work
Film
| Year | Title | Directors | Writers | Producers | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Hidden | Yes | Yes | No | Finished in 2012 |
Television
| Year | Title | Directors | Writers | Executive Producers | Creators | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–2016 | Wayward Pines | No | Yes | Co-Executive | No | Wrote 4 episodes |
| 2016–present | Stranger Things | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Directed 19 episodes; wrote 16 episodes |
| TBD | The Boroughs | No | No | Yes | No |
Awards and Recognition
The Duffer Brothers and Stranger Things have won many awards. Here are some of the most notable ones:
- In 2016, Stranger Things won the American Film Institute Award for Top 10 TV Programs of the Year.
- In 2017, it won the Dragon Award for Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series.
- Also in 2017, Stranger Things won the MTV Movie & TV Award for Best Show.
- In 2018, it won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite TV Show.
- In 2019, Stranger Things won the People's Choice Award for Drama Show of 2019 and Show of 2019.
- In 2019, it also won the Saturn Award for Best Streaming Horror & Thriller Series.
See also
In Spanish: Hermanos Duffer para niños
