Netflix has quietly axed a high-profile project from Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, halting their planned adaptation of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s bestselling novel The Talisman.
The Duffer Brothers rose to international fame with Stranger Things, a series that has consistently shattered viewership records for the streaming giant. The fifth season premiere alone drew nearly 60 million views within its first five days — securing the highest debut-week audience for any English-language series on Netflix, and ranking third overall in global premiere-week performance. This milestone surpassed Stranger Things season four’s previous record of 22 million views in three days back in 2022.
With Stranger Things set to wrap up in late 2025, the Duffers had planned to transition into The Talisman, a project they first signed onto in 2021. The adaptation promised to bring the beloved fantasy-horror novel to streaming audiences for the first time. However, according to ScreenRant, Netflix has officially dropped the series from its development slate.
In a recent interview with CBR, Ross Duffer confirmed the cancellation, explaining, “Unfortunately, The Talisman is no longer happening at Netflix, so we’re no longer attached.” He noted that the adaptation had long been mired in “development hell,” recalling how he first encountered a screenplay version of the story while interning in college. “It’s been stuck in development for decades. I’m disappointed we weren’t the ones to finally make it happen,” Ross added.
Matt Duffer echoed the sentiment, admitting, “It was probably overly optimistic to think we could be the ones to finally get The Talisman made.”
The cancellation comes just months before the Duffer Brothers are set to depart Netflix for a new creative deal at Paramount, expected in April 2026. The move marks a significant shift for the duo, who credited Netflix executives Cindy Holland and Matt Thunell for believing in their unconventional script for Stranger Things back in 2015.
“We’re thrilled to join the Paramount family,” the brothers said when announcing the deal. “It’s a dream come true to work with a studio that has such a rich Hollywood legacy. We’re also excited to reunite with Cindy and Matt, who took a chance on us nearly a decade ago.”
The streaming industry is currently bracing for intensified competition, with Netflix and Paramount both vying for strategic positioning against rivals like Warner Bros. Discovery. While The Talisman may never see the light of day on Netflix, the Duffer Brothers’ creative journey is far from over — and fans are eager to see what new worlds they’ll bring to life after Stranger Things concludes.
