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The Duffer Brothers

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Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer (born February 15, 1984), often credited as the Duffer Brothers, are both American film and television writers, directors, and producers. Best known as the creators, directors, and executive producers of the Netflix science fiction horror drama series Stranger Things, they also wrote and directed the 2015 psychological horror film Hidden and wrote and produced episodes for the Fox mystery-science fiction series Wayward Pines.

Matt and Ross Duffer
Matt Duffer on the left, with Ross Duffer on the right, both seated behind a table with name cards in front of them and looking to the viewer's left, with a San Diego Comic-Con BBanner in the background
Matt (left) and Ross (right) Duffer at the 2017 San Diego Comic-Con
Born (1984-02-15) February 15, 1984 (age 40)
Durham, North Carolina, U.S.
EducationChapman University (BFA)
Occupations
  • Film and television writers
  • directors
  • producers
Years active2005–present
Known for
Spouse
​
​
(m. 2015; sep. 2024)​
(Ross)

They established their own production company Upside Down Pictures, which is in an overall deal with Netflix.[1] They are identical twin brothers and have had a close relationship since childhood. They work on all their projects as a pair.[2]

Career

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After the brothers had written and directed several short films, their script for the post-apocalyptic horror film Hidden was acquired by Warner Bros. Pictures in 2011.[3] The brothers would go on to direct Hidden, which was released in 2015. Next the Duffer brothers were hired as writers/producers for the Fox television series Wayward Pines. As of 2024, they are also the executive producers of a Netflix show called The Boroughs, described as a supernatural drama set in a retirement community in the New Mexico desert.[4]

Stranger Things

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With experience in television, they began pitching their idea for television series adaptation of the same name, which Dan Cohen eventually brought to Shawn Levy. Backed by Levy's 21 Laps production company, the show was quickly picked up by Netflix.[5][6] The show is set in 1980s Indiana and is an homage to 1980s pop culture,[7] inspired and aesthetically informed by the works of Steven Spielberg, John Carpenter, Wes Craven, Sam Raimi, David Lynch, Stephen King, and George Lucas, among others.[8][9]

It was released on July 15, 2016, to overwhelming praise,[10] specifically for its characterization, pacing, atmosphere, acting, soundtrack, directing, writing, and homages to 1980s genre films. It began to develop a cult following online.[11] Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave the series an approval rating of 95%, based on 82 reviews, with a weighted average score of 7.96/10. The site's critical consensus states, "Exciting, heartbreaking, and sometimes scary, Stranger Things acts as an addictive homage to Spielberg films and vintage 1980s television."[12]

On September 30, 2019, Netflix announced they had signed the Duffers for additional films and television shows over the coming years.[13]

In March 2021, the duo announced they will team up with Spielberg to adapt Stephen King's and Peter Straub's The Talisman as a Netflix series. They will both be executive producers via Amblin Partners and Monkey Massacre and have hired Curtis Gwinn, who worked as a writer-executive producer on Stranger Things, to act as writer and showrunner of the project.[14]

Following the premiere of the fourth season of Stranger Things in July 2022, the Duffers launched the production company Upside Down Pictures, for which they recommitted to Netflix with several new projects. Among these include a live-action series adaptation of Death Note and a series adaptation of The Talisman, in addition to their follow-up series to Stranger Things.[15]

In October 2023, Ross Duffer was one of many working in the film and television industry that signed the open letter to President Joe Biden thanking him for his "unshakeable moral conviction" in supporting Israel with military funding and aid and petitioning the President to secure the release of more Israeli hostages.[16][17]

Personal lives

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The Duffer Brothers were born and raised in Durham, North Carolina, the sons of Ann M. Christensen, a part-time real estate broker,[18] and Allen P. Duffer Jr., a film buff and Research Triangle Institute[19] Project Director.[20] They began making films in the third grade, using a Hi8 video camera that was a gift from their parents.[21][22] They attended the Duke School for Children[22] from grades K-8, a private suburban school, and then the Charles E. Jordan High School, a large Durham public school. They were accepted at the Florida State University College of Motion Picture Arts, but were not willing to be educated separately.[23] They toured New York University Tisch School of the Arts Department of Cinema Studies and USC School of Cinematic Arts but were not accepted, but someone they met introduced them to someone,[23] who suggested Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts for film study and they relocated to Orange, California, where they graduated in 2007.[5][24] Matt has one child; Winona Ryder is the godmother.[25]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Directors Writers Producers Notes
2005 We All Fall Down Yes Yes No Short films
2007 Eater Yes Yes Yes
2009 Abraham's Boys No Yes Yes
Road to Moloch[21] No Yes No
2012 Vessel No Yes No
2015 Hidden Yes Yes No Debut feature film
Completed in 2012, received limited release in 2015[26]

Other film credits

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Year Title Credit Notes
2006 The Big Toe Editors Short films
2008 The Milkman Actors: Officer (Matt Duffer); Drive-by thug (Ross Duffer)
Saturday Night at Norm's Producers
2014 Honeymoon Special thanks
2021 Fear Street Part One: 1994
Fear Street Part Two: 1978
Fear Street Part Three: 1666
2024 Dust Monster Animated short film

Television

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Year Title Directors Writers Executive Producers Creators Notes
2015–2016 Wayward Pines No Yes Co-Executive No Wrote 4 episodes
2016– Stranger Things Yes Yes Yes Yes Directed 19 episodes; wrote 16 episodes

Awards

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Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2016 American Film Institute Award Top 10 TV Programs of the Year Stranger Things Won [27]
Critics' Choice Television Award Best Drama Series Stranger Things Nominated [28]
[29]
Most Bingeworthy Show Stranger Things Nominated
2017 American Film Institute Award Top 10 TV Programs of the Year Stranger Things Won [30]
Bram Stoker Award Best Screenplay Stranger Things for "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers" Nominated [31]
Stranger Things for "Chapter Eight: The Upside Down" Nominated
Superior Achievement in a Screenplay Stranger Things for "Chapter One: MADMAX" Nominated [32]
British Academy Television Award Best International Programme Stranger Things Nominated [33]
Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directing – Drama Series Stranger Things for "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers" Nominated [34]
Dorian Award TV Drama of the Year Stranger Things Nominated [35]
Dragon Award Best Science Fiction or Fantasy TV Series Stranger Things Won [36]
Empire Award Best TV Series Stranger Things Nominated [37]
Fangoria Chainsaw Award Best TV Series Stranger Things Won [38]
Golden Globe Award Best Television Series – Drama Stranger Things Nominated [39]
Hugo Award Best Dramatic Presentation Stranger Things for the first season Nominated [40]
MTV Movie & TV Award Best Show Stranger Things Won [41]
National Television Award Best Period Drama Stranger Things Nominated [42]
NME Award Best TV Series Stranger Things Nominated [43]
People's Choice Award Favorite TV Show Stranger Things Nominated [44]
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Stranger Things for "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers" Nominated [45]
Outstanding Drama Series Stranger Things Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Stranger Things for "Chapter One: The Vanishing of Will Byers" Nominated
Producers Guild of America Award Best Episodic Drama Stranger Things Won [46]
Satellite Award Best Television Series – Genre Stranger Things Nominated [47]
Saturn Award Best New Media Television Series Stranger Things Won[a] [48]
[49]
Shorty Award Best TV Show Stranger Things Nominated [50]
TCA Award Outstanding Achievement in Drama Stranger Things Nominated [51]
Outstanding New Program Stranger Things Nominated
Program of the Year Stranger Things Nominated
Teen Choice Award Choice Breakout Series Stranger Things Nominated [52]
Choice Fantasy/Sci-Fi Series Stranger Things Nominated
Writers Guild of America Award Television: Dramatic Series Stranger Things Nominated [53]
Television: New Series Stranger Things Nominated
2018 Critics' Choice Television Award Best Drama Series Stranger Things Nominated [54]
Directors Guild of America Award Outstanding Directing – Drama Series Stranger Things for "Chapter Nine: The Gate" Nominated [55]
Empire Award Best TV Series Stranger Things Nominated [56]
Golden Globe Award Best Television Series – Drama Stranger Things Nominated [57]
MTV Movie & TV Award Best Show Stranger Things Won [58]
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award Favorite TV Show Stranger Things Won [59]
NME Award Best TV Series Stranger Things Won [60]
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series Stranger Things for "Chapter Nine: The Gate" Nominated [61]
Outstanding Drama Series Stranger Things Nominated
Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series Stranger Things for "Chapter Nine: The Gate" Nominated
Producers Guild of America Award Best Episodic Drama Stranger Things Nominated [62]
Satellite Award Best Television Series – Genre Stranger Things Nominated [63]
Saturn Award Best New Media Television Series Stranger Things Nominated [64]
Teen Choice Award Choice Fantasy/Sci-Fi Series Stranger Things Nominated [65]
Writers Guild of America Award Television: Dramatic Series Stranger Things Nominated [66]
2019 Grammy Award Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media Stranger Things Nominated [67]
Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award Favorite TV Drama Stranger Things Nominated [68]
People's Choice Awards Bingeworthy Show of 2019 Stranger Things Nominated [69]
Drama Show of 2019 Stranger Things Won
Sci-Fi/Fantasy Show of 2019 Stranger Things Nominated
Show of 2019 Stranger Things Won
Saturn Award Best Streaming Horror & Thriller Series Stranger Things Won [70]
Teen Choice Award Choice Summer TV Show Stranger Things Won [71]
2020 Satellite Award Best Genre Series Stranger Things Won [72]
Primetime Emmy Award Outstanding Drama Series Stranger Things Nominated [73]

References

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Notes

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  1. ^ Tied with Marvel's Luke Cage
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