Influences on Stranger Things

The Duffer Brothers, creators of Stranger Things, are giant film nerds who grew up on 80's cinema and fiction. They wanted to make a show in the vein of the stories they loved growing up and. As a result, Stranger Things borrows many elements from other films and stories, and its countless allusions and references are an integral part of the show's DNA.

MAJOR INFLUENCES

E.T. The Extra Terrestrial (1982 sci-fi adventure film, dir. Steven Spielberg)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1980s horror franchise, dir. Wes Crawen)

Jaws (1975 thriller, dir. Steven Spielberg)

The Goonies (1985 adventure film)

Stand By Me (1986 coming-of-age film, based on Steven King)

Akira (1988 sci-fi action film)