First released in 2016, Stranger Things not only proved to be one of the most popular television series of the twenty-first century, but a major success for Netflix, which was only recently beginning to produce its own programs. There are many things to like about the show, including its mystery-filled plot, lovable characters, original directing and nostalgic homages.
Yet, the world of Stranger Things is by no means sunshine and rainbows. Recently, a little-known production company called Irish Rover Entertainment sued both Netflix and series creators Ross and Matt Duffer for copyright infringement. According to the plaintiff, Netflix stole their idea for Stranger Things from an un-produced sci-fi script.
The lawsuit, which Irish Rover Entertainment filed in the state of California, claims that Stranger Things stole its plot, characters, theme, setting and even dialogue from said un-produced script. While it can occur that two writers have similar ideas for a story at the same time in history, the company bases its claim on the correspondence between the script’s writer and a concept artist who worked on the Netflix Original.
This isn’t the first time Stranger Things has been sued, of course. Charles Kessler filed a complaint back in 2018, but ultimately withdrew from the lawsuit before a trial could be scheduled. As an international entertainment powerhouse, Netflix has nothing to fear, calling the accusations “far-fetched” and saying there is “no shortage of people who would like to claim credit” for creating one of the world’s most-popular shows.
Like many other programs, the production of Stranger Things was severely stunted by the coronavirus pandemic. Still, the streamer hopes to continue filming the show’s fourth season as soon as possible. Even if production will be able to move along as smoothly as it did before the crisis, however, audiences shouldn’t expect the series to return until late next year.