The end of Stranger Things is a big moment for Netflix. The Duffer brothers’ five-season epic TV show has been the Netflix flagship since its launch in 2016, with some analysts suggesting Stranger Things made over $1 billion in streaming revenue from 2020 to the launch of Season 5. The story is officially over, but it hasn’t stopped some dissatisfied fans believing there’s a secret ninth episode in the works. Hilariously, #conformitygate (as the theory is known) now brings up Stranger Things on the Netflix app.
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Netflix has officially released a new trailer teasing what’s next for the streamer, and it seems more than a little pointed towards #conformitygate. It talks about deception, seeing old friends in a new light, and features the world turning upside-down. Most amusing of all, there’s a shot of Millie Bobby Brown herself responding to the idea of questioning “everything.”
Netflix Has a Good Year Ahead (But Will Struggle to Fill the Stranger Things Gap)
2025 was a good year for Netflix, and not just because of Stranger Things; it was the year of KPop Demon Hunters, after all, which became an unprecedented hit. Some major Netflix shows are returning in 2026, including the likes of Bridgerton, 3 Body Problem, and One Piece. This is also the year of Enola Holmes 3, explaining why Millie Bobby Brown is in Netflix’s What Next? teaser. That said, Netflix is sure to struggle to fill the gap left by Stranger Things, which was quite simply definitive for the streaming giant.
For now, though, it’s a delight to see Netflix produce such a whimsical teaser – especially one that (whether intentional or not) seems rather on-point given #conformitygate and the reaction to Stranger Things. This is indeed the moment when viewers are wondering what’s next for Netflix, because Stranger Things drove subscriptions and engagement for almost a decade, and Netflix need to make a fresh sales pitch for both.
The most striking aspect of this teaser is, quite simply, the broad range of different shows Netflix will be releasing this year. The teaser taps into everything from anime to live-action, in a wonderfully creative way that tries to evoke a sense of magic and mystery. It’s a reassurance that Netflix is not defined by Stranger Things or even shows of that type, even if it does seem like a reaction to the end of the Duffer brothers’ epic series.
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Official art by Bastien Lecouffe-Deharme -
Image courtesy of Tor Books/Macmillan -
A photo of the Retrovolt Arcade taken in 2017, showing several classic arcade cabinets and stools.
