‘Stranger Things’ Premiere Omits Key Executive, Signals Shift as Duffers Prepare Exit
LOS ANGELES, November 17, 2023 – The premiere of Stranger Things‘ final season was marked by acknowledgements of those instrumental to the show’s success, but notably absent was any mention of Cindy Holland, the former Netflix executive who greenlit the series, despite previous accounts from the Duffer brothers crediting her with championing the project. The omission occurred as the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, prepare to depart Netflix for a new deal at Paramount in April.
Stranger Things represents a turning point for Netflix, being one of the first fully produced and owned hits-earlier successes like house of Cards and Orange Is the New Black originated from outside studios-and its popularity transformed it into a meaningful brand and merchandising opportunity for the company.
During the premiere event, the Duffer brothers thanked individuals they considered vital to Stranger Things’ success, including Dan Cohen, the former executive at Shawn Levy’s company who initially supported their script, Levy himself, Netflix’s Ted Sarandos, who brought the show to the platform, and the fans who propelled it to global recognition. They also acknowledged Bela Bajaria for her support during the show’s final two seasons.
Speeches presented Sarandos as the executive who initially approved the Stranger things pitch. While Sarandos, as Chief Creative Officer at the time, held ultimate greenlight authority, his role in the show’s success is widely recognized, but he was not the first champion of the series within Netflix.
in a 2018 essay for time magazine, the Duffers recounted a different narrative.”When we pitched Stranger Things to Netflix, we were told Cindy Holland was the key,” they wrote. “As it turns out, she’s also extremely difficult to read in a room. We left the pitch certain of only one thing: Cindy hated it. One day later, she greenlighted our show, and our lives changed.”
The absence of Holland’s name during the on-stage remarks at the premiere, while not uncommon in Hollywood when executives are replaced, struck some attendees as a notable oversight given the occasion.
The premiere also highlighted the Duffer brothers’ impending move to Paramount, where they will produce films and television and reunite with holland and Matt Thunell, another former Netflix executive involved in Stranger Things’ advancement. Netflix executives introduced the Duffer brothers as “a big part of the Netflix family.”
Season 5 of Stranger Things will premiere on November 26 with Part 1, followed by Part 2 on December 25, and the finale on December 31.