Netflix has announced an animated “Stranger Things” spinoff series, with the Duffer brothers signing on as executive producers. All the details are still very much under wraps, besides the fact that “the scripts and artwork are incredible,” according to the Duffer brothers.
“We’ve always dreamed of an animated ‘Stranger Things’ in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling,” the Duffer brothers told Variety in a statement We couldn’t be more blown away by what Eric Robles and his team have come up with — the scripts and artwork are incredible, and we can’t wait to share more with you! The adventure continues…”
While we’re excited to see one of our favourite franchises expand, we’re still holding out hope for a Robin and Steve spinoff. And we’re not the only ones — Maya Hawke is fully on board, too. Following the cinematic spectacle of season four, which premiered on May 27 and ended on July 1, Hawke took a moment to reflect on her character’s future in Hawkins, a town where being a teenager with D&D-obsessed friends is basically a supernatural curse.
“I would love to die,” she told Rolling Stone, pondering her character’s fate. “I’d love to die with honor, as any actor would.” The Duffer brothers, however, seem to have other plans for Robin Buckley. Hawke continued, “But I love the way that the Duffer brothers love their actors. The reason that they write so beautifully for me and for everyone else is because they fall in love with their actors and their characters, and they don’t want to kill them. I think that’s a beautiful quality that they have, and I wouldn’t wish it away.”
“Normally I wouldn’t really be a proponent of a spinoff, but if I got to do it with Joe Keery, I would do anything.”
While Hawke would be perfectly happy to see her character die a hero’s death, she also has her fingers crossed for a potential spinoff starring her favorite “Stranger Things” duo. “Normally I wouldn’t really be a proponent of a spinoff, but if I got to do it with Joe Keery, I would do anything,” she said. “He’s so funny and wonderful and smart, and he’s got great boundaries. He’s an excellent coworker, and I would do anything with him.”
Some “Stranger Things” pairs are deeply in love (Lucas and Max), others have heartwarming sibling relationships (Eddie and Dustin), and some even have the internet questioning whether they should be friends or lovers (Robin and Nancy). But Hawke is fully sold on Robin and Steve being the ultimate sitcom duo.
Related: “Stranger Things” Stars Joseph Quinn and Grace Van Dien Reunite in Adorable Selfie
“[The spinoff would be] where we go to New York and we’re just partying in the clubs and figuring our sh*t out,” she said. Hawke added that she imagines Robin would definitely help Steve with any relationship troubles and vice versa. “I think that Robin’s definitely shipping Steve and Nancy,” she continued. “I think that Robin definitely wants whatever would make Steve the happiest, which appears to certainly be Nancy. I personally think that the thing that’s so beautiful about the show: it actually has never really been about romance. People are always shipping characters in that show, but really that show’s about friendship.”
At the end of season four, Robin and Steve’s fate is up in the air. With threats to Hawkins literally looming in the distance more than ever before, it’s unclear whether the Duffer brothers will leave room at the end of season five for Robin and Steve to live their ’90s-sitcom dream come true, but friendship might be the secret weapon that keeps this duo alive to the very end.
