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Stranger Things' Duffer brothers say they have not filmed multiple endings

8 January 2026, 15:52 | Updated: 8 January 2026, 16:53

Duffer brothers say they have not filmed multiple endings for Stranger Things 5. Picture: Netflix

By Katie Louise Smith

Following fan theories, Matt and Ross Duffer have shut down speculation that multiple endings have been filmed.

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Amid theories that there's a secret 'Episode 9' of Stranger Things, creators Matt and Ross Duffer previously quashed speculation that multiple endings have been filmed for season 5.

Prior to the release of season 5, and after Noah Schnapp revealed that the cast were not going to watch the finale "until the world sees it," theories started swirling online that the true ending was potentially being kept a secret from the cast.

"Guys do you think they filmed multiple endings for Stranger Things so the cast doesn’t even know how it ends …" one viral tweet reads. "With the paparazzi leaks, I’ve been wondering if they filmed multiple scenes to throw any potential leakers off of their trail," another user wrote.

Those theories then spiralled even further when Caleb McLaughlin said his ending was "different [from everyone else’s]."

So, what's going on? Well, the Duffer brothers told Capital Buzz that they have not filmed multiple endings.

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Stranger Things' Duffer brothers have not filmed multiple endings

Speaking on the red carpet at the London premiere of Stranger Things 5 in November 2025, Matt and Ross Duffer revealed that while they love the idea of other TV shows filming multiple endings, they have not done that for the show.

"Oh no. No no," Matt Duffer said. "I mean, we wouldn't have—I love when I hear people do that but I'm like, 'How do you have the time?! Oh my god! The energy to, A: write it and then shoot it? Are you crazy? No. No."

As we now know, the paparazzi photos shared by fans were indeed real, and those scenes did appear in the final season. Photos of Joe Keery and Gaten Matarazzo filming their final scenes as Steve and Dustin were leaked, as well as photos of David Harbour and Finn Wolfhard filming on the bench at the Hawkins memorial.

Stranger Things 5 will focus on Will Byers' connection to Vecna and the Mind Flayer. Picture: Alamy

Discussing the ending, Matt and Ross revealed that they watched shows like Six Feet Under, Friday Night Lights and The Sopranos to see how they landed their finales.

“The best ones were very true to themselves,” Ross told Variety. “The shows that are trying to be super clever — I think that’s where it can go wrong really quickly.”