Shortly after the debut of Stranger Things 4, the Duffer Brothers launched their own production company, brilliantly titled Upside Down Pictures. The brothers are apparently keen to expand their love of nostalgia via projects such as an adaptation of Stephen King's The Talisman.
However, a King adaptation isn't the only thing the Upside Down Pictures will be tackling to further Netflix's brand, as there's also a live-action adaptation of the Death Note manga and another show set in the Stranger Things universe. They draw clear inspiration when it comes to their projects, either proposed or completed, and it's easy to imagine what other pre-existing properties would fit under their new production company's banner.
Escape From New York
John Carpenter's must-watch 1980s action movie, Escape from New York, would be difficult to recast, but Kurt Russell is probably not up for another very physical adventure as Snake Plissken.
His son Wyatt, however, could very easily don the eye patch. The art of playing Plissken is far more than being stoic and pulling triggers, there's also an air of levelheadedness Russell brought to the role, and there's little to no doubt the younger Russell could do it just, as well.
The Thing
John Carpenter's The Thing is one horror movie that needs a miniseries, and the Duffers are the ones to do it. As Stranger Things has progressed, the Upside Down duo has embraced the gruesome nature of horror more and more.
There's arguably no film more body-twistingly gruesome than The Thing, and with a renewed interest in practical effects courtesy of the Star Wars sequel trilogy and Jurassic World, it would be done correctly, as opposed to the 2011 prequel with its bargain bin CGI.
Poltergeist
2022 marks the 40th anniversary of Tobe Hooper's Poltergeist, and four decades later, it's still a fun and spooky rollercoaster ride of a film. Upside Down Pictures could do several things with the opportunity. On one hand, there's a remake, but the 2015 attempt failed both critically and commercially.
Another option is a legacy sequel; JoBeth Williams and Craig T. Nelson could return as Diane and Steven Freeling, though sadly Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne's Dana and Carol Anne could not be able to return. Stranger Things already embraced the plot of Poltergeist in its first season, so the natural evolution is for them to direct the elder Freelings as they attempt to save another family's child.
Starman
The Duffer brothers have clearly taken inspiration from much of John Carpenter's early filmography, and the Jeff Bridges-Karen Allen drama Starman is an opportunity for them to reference the horror auteur's sweet side.
Stranger Things has shown that the Duffers know how to make an homage subtle. But Jeff Bridges plays the childlike alien title character in such a unique manner that even a small reference would be noticeable. Instead, Starman would best be suited as their first full-length feature, perhaps even with some advisory assistance from Carpenter himself, as he's done with the new Halloween trilogy.
Gremlins
In terms of tone, Gremlins is about as close to Stranger Things as a movie can get. Thus far, there have only been two Gremlins films, with a third in some level of talks or development for decades.
But the upcoming animated series Gremlins: Secrets of the Mogwai inspires hope that there could be life left in the franchise for a third official theatrical entry. Very little is known about the Mogwai in either Gremlins or Gremlins 2: The New Batch, so there are plenty of avenues the Duffers could take to expand canon in a way that won't push away devoted fans of Joe Dante's films.
The NeverEnding Story
The NeverEnding Story is a little more fantasy-driven than Stranger Things, but the Wolfgang Petersen film is similar to the Netflix series in that it featured an impressive lineup of memorable creatures, most notably the dog-like dragon, Falkor.
The film and its first sequel were adaptations of one book, which is a pattern Upside Down Pictures could continue. However, the reimagined adaptation could also be a miniseries or even take an animated form. The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones will soon be all the talk on TV, and The NeverEnding Story could find a way to fit well into the mix.
Night Of The Comet
Night of the Comet is fairly niche, and the Duffer Brothers clearly have an affinity for niche genre films. Furthermore, while Stranger Things technically has several leads, the true focus is Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven. The 1984 genre-bender is also female-led, and like Eleven, they're the toughest characters in the film.
The film's lead performers, Catherine Mary Stewart and Kelli Maroney, are still intermittently active in the industry. Perhaps they could have another post-apocalyptic, dreamlike survival adventure. On the other hand, the Duffer Brothers could also bring on Brown and one of her Stranger Things co-stars for a remake.
Explorers
A legacy sequel to Joe Dante's Explorers is possible, especially given Ethan Hawke's burgeoning popularity thanks to Moon Knight and The Black Phone. Unfortunately, River Phoenix's Wolfgang Müller would be missing from the equation, but that doesn't mean Hawke's Ben Crandall couldn't have kids of his own, and they very well may be curious-minded explorers, as well.
The concept of children wanting to adventure out to the beyond is universal regardless of the release decade, Explorers is a movie that could be remade for the modern age and the tech within, and could even stick to the excellent practical effects seen in Dante's original.
Silver Bullet
Of all the King adaptations the Duffers could take on, Silver Bullet makes the most sense, though it will be interesting to see them finally bring his The Talisman to the screen, big or small. But Bullet has a tone of innocence, which the brothers could draw inspiration from just as much as the novella source material: Cycle of the Werewolf.
While a legacy sequel to Silver Bullet wouldn't work, given the standing of the majority of the cast, it's a film that could be easily remade. The 1980s original has a fun, relatable core cast of characters that were created for it, and the uncle-nephew dynamic could prove just as charming today with the right duo as it was when Corey Haim and Gary Busey were leading the charge.
The Lost Boys
With the exception of some comic books and two DTV sequels, The Lost Boys franchise has never really enjoyed true success outside of the original film. Towards the end of 2021, a new installment was announced, but it is currently unclear as to what form it will take.
Should that project fall through, the Duffer brothers should make a legacy sequel to Schumacher's film priority number one. Kiefer Sutherland could still jump into the snarling role of David, especially given the fact his fate is left unclear in the original. Jason Patric could also join, as could Jami Gertz, but the late Corey Haim's absence would be noticeable. Fortunately, Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander could still step in as the Frog brothers to educate some fresh new vampire hunters.