Stephen King has expressed that he does not view Netflix's Stranger Things as primarily a Stephen King story, despite the Duffer Brothers crediting his influence. In a recent interview, King praised the series while emphasizing its originality. The creators, however, have openly discussed how King's works shaped elements of the show.
Netflix's Stranger Things has grown significantly since its debut, with its series finale screened in select theaters. The show shares thematic elements with Stephen King's stories, such as small-town settings and young protagonists facing supernatural threats, particularly in works like It.
King addressed these comparisons in an interview with The Guardian. "I don't see it as a Stephen King story as much as some other people do," he said. "I think the Duffer Brothers give me more credit than I deserve. Like a lot of talented people, they grew up with my material. When they were young and malleable, they read a lot of Stephen King and said: 'We wanna do something like that.' But they're very talented guys and the story they have developed has a lot more to it than Stephen King. It's got a lot of Duffer Brothers in it. It's good. I've seen all the episodes. I like it a lot."
The Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, have been more forthcoming about King's impact. In a Vanity Fair interview, they noted that It influenced Stranger Things from the start, including the introduction of the antagonist Vecna in Season 4, drawing parallels to Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Matt Duffer stated, "It was a big influence on the show from the start. 'It' has always been in there — the idea of kids in a small town battling a supernatural entity from another dimension. The biggest takeaway from 'It' for me is: character first, or nothing else that happens is going to matter. When Pennywise emerges, you're not going to be as frightened as you are for these kids. The reason you're shaking is because you see yourself in those kids. It felt like I was there. [King] convinced me I was there, and then he brought this clown into it."
This mutual respect highlights King's ongoing adaptations, such as the upcoming IT: Welcome to Derry. In 2021, the Duffers planned to adapt King and Peter Straub's The Talisman for Netflix, but the project was shelved after their move to Paramount.