Stranger Things is now over, but Netflix already has the perfect show lined up to replace it. As one of Netflix’s biggest ever original series, Stranger Things‘ ending was a major blow for the streamer. Series that can generate that level of hype and viewing figures, and sustain it across so many seasons and years, are increasingly rare. Even Wednesday, one of Netflix’s other biggest hits, suffered a significant drop in Season 2 (though still impressive), and with Squid Game also ending, it needs some new blood.
Videos by ComicBook.com
There will be no shortage of possible contenders to replace Stranger Things: Netflix produces a vast amount of content every single year, and given that show itself was a sleeper hit that generated hype via word-of-mouth, rather than being so hotly anticipated, the next hit like it could be quietly waiting in the wings. But there’s at least one that’s not so quiet: Harry Potter.
When Netflix announced its purchase of Warner Bros., it did so with an image that highlighted two major franchises – Stranger Things for the former, and Potter for the latter. That’s a telling choice in how it views the Wizarding World as one of the biggest prizes in its $82.7 billion takeover (which is still to officially go through, and will take some time), and sets up the perfect replacement show for Netflix.
Harry Potter Could Be Huge For Netflix
Although Netflix used the Harry Potter movies, there is also the not-so-small matter of HBO’s remake, which will adapt the books into a TV series. The plan is to turn each book into at least a season of TV, meaning that (all going well) it’ll run for close to a decade, like Stranger Things did, with the show set to air on HBO and HBO Max. As it stands, Netflix is going to keep HBO Max as a separate service, but it’s expected that more shows from there will end up on Netflix too, while there’s also the chance that, like with Hulu and Disney+, it could be increasingly folded into it as time goes on.
Part of why Stranger Things was so huge is that it tapped into a wave of nostalgia, had child characters everyone came to care about balanced against enormous stakes and scale, and appealed to multiple generations. Harry Potter ticks all of those boxes, and will be arriving with a built-in level of anticipation that’s difficult for any other TV show to match. If the series eventually ends up on Netflix – either after it’s streamed on HBO Max, or because the platforms are combined – it should be a true megahit like Stranger Things.
If Netflix is already putting Potter front and center of WB and its takeover, then it would make sense for that to continue, and that it views it as one of the crown jewels of the purchase. That could lead to further spinoff plans – something that didn’t work out with Fantastic Beasts, but for which there’s still plenty of potential – but even just with the remake, the streamer will have, like with Stranger Things, a TV show that carries true universal appeal.
Stranger Things Spinoffs Probably Won’t Be As Big
Of course, Netflix can and will also try to replace Stranger Things with… more of it. While Stranger Things Season 6 isn’t happening, the streamer will absolutely look to turn this into a bona fide streaming franchise. One spinoff, the animated Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, is already on the way, which will follow the main characters on an adventure set between Seasons 2 and 3 of the show.
Even bigger is a mysterious live-action spinoff. The Duffer Brothers are once again involved, though won’t be showrunners, and it’ll take place in a new location, a different time period, and won’t feature any returning characters, but will still have some connections, including to the rock that Henry Creel found in the briefcase.
These will both find an audience, and the live-action series in particular should be a hit, but it’s unlikely they’ll be on the same level of popularity as Stranger Things. That’s not just because the divisive finale might dampen enthusiasm for more, but because it’s rarely how it works out: House of the Dragon isn’t the same watercooler event Game of Thrones was; Better Call Saul didn’t generate the same broad hype as the later seasons of Breaking Bad; The Witcher‘s spinoffs on Netflix fell flat; The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka couldn’t compete with The Mandalorian.
That’s not always the case, and there are examples to the contrary. But, especially in a streaming era where it can be so much harder to create a monolithic hit like we saw with Stranger Things, it’s very difficult to pull off, especially without returning characters, and that’s why Netflix’s next success on that level will likely be something different.
All five seasons of Stranger Things are streaming on Netflix. The Harry Potter remake is expected to debut in 2027.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Netflix -
Image Courtesy of Prime Video -
Image Courtesy of Toei Animation
