After the monumental run of Stranger Things, creators Matt and Ross Duffer are steering their creative energy into new territory — and fans are buzzing. The brothers have revealed their next big project under their production banner Upside Down Pictures is the atmospheric horror series Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen, set to premiere on Netflix on March 26, 2026.
What the Duffer Brothers Are Working On Now
Rather than directing directly, Matt and Ross Duffer are serving as executive producers on this eight-episode limited series, mentoring new talent and guiding the project from behind the scenes — a creative shift from their hands-on role with Stranger Things. They’ve described their involvement as finding and uplifting emerging voices they deeply respect, rather than running every detail themselves.
The series was created by Haley Z. Boston, who also serves as showrunner. Production wrapped in 2025, and Netflix has now confirmed its release date alongside exclusive images and early details about the story.
What Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen Is About
The story unfolds in the week leading up to a couple’s wedding, where increasingly eerie and unsettling events begin to take place as the bride and groom — Rachel Harkin (Camila Morrone) and Nicky Cunningham (Adam DiMarco) — prepare to tie the knot in a remote, wealthy family estate. The series weaves psychological dread with atmospheric horror, playing on fears about commitment, family secrets, and the unknown.
Boston has hinted that while the title promises darkness, the true nature of “the very bad thing” will be kept hidden for much of the series, designed to keep audiences guessing and unsettled.
The cast also includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Ted Levine, Jeff Wilbusch, Karla Crome and Gus Birney in key supporting roles, adding depth and experience to the narrative’s eerie unfolding.
Duffers’ Vision: Helping New Voices
The Duffer Brothers have made it clear that Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen is just the first of several projects they’re backing on Netflix as they explore new storytelling avenues beyond Stranger Things. Their role is more creative champion than day-to-day showrunners — offering guidance and production muscle while allowing others to lead the creative charge.
This move signals a shift in how the Duffers are shaping genre TV: fostering fresh narratives in horror, suspense and supernatural drama — even as they step away from the Hawkins universe they built over the last decade.
Release & Expectations
- Series: Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen
- Platform: Netflix
- Release Date: March 26, 2026
- Genre: Psychological horror / atmospheric thriller
- Episodes: 8, released together for binge watching
With its chilling premise and the Duffer Brothers’ stamp of quality production, the series is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing horror launches of 2026 — offering something very bad, very eerie, and very compelling for fans craving a new kind of thrill after Stranger Things.
