Stranger Things finale controversy heats up with wild ChatGPT rumors

Los Angeles, California - After nearly a decade, Stranger Things has come to an end. But many fans weren't satisfied with the end of the series, and a new documentary on the subject has only further fueled the online fire!

Stranger Things co-creators Matt (l.) and Ross Duffer have been facing some serious backlash from fans over the show's finale.
Stranger Things co-creators Matt (l.) and Ross Duffer have been facing some serious backlash from fans over the show's finale.  © Mike Coppola / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

The documentary One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 hit Netflix on Monday, giving fans an inside look at the creative process behind the sci-fi show's final season.

In one shocking reveal, the show's co-creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, admitted that they had begun production on the season without having completed the finale script.

According to Forbes, the brothers already knew what the ending for main characters like Mike, Eleven, and Will would be, but the path to it was missing.

Elon Musk: Elon Musk threatens to seize custody of one-year-old son in nasty spat with ex Ashley St. Clair
Elon Musk Elon Musk threatens to seize custody of one-year-old son in nasty spat with ex Ashley St. Clair

Many fans were shocked by these revelations on social media, where viewers had already been voicing their disappointment at inconsistencies and plot holes left in the series finale.

Rumors had even emerged that there was going to be a secret ninth episode – fueled by a viral theory called "conformity gate" – to answer the lingering questions and change the final ending, but these proved futile.

But the last-minute writing wasn't the only documentary tidbit to cause a stir: eagle-eyed fans also got a glimpse of what seemed to be ChatGPT tabs open on one of the Duffer brothers' laptops.

Did the Duffer brothers use ChatGPT to write the Stranger Things finale?

Stranger Things debuted its final episode on December 31, 2025.
Stranger Things debuted its final episode on December 31, 2025.  © IMAGO / Landmark Media

The moment led many to speculate that the writers may have used AI to develop the script – a theory that may not be that far-fetched, considering the timeline the Duffers themselves outlined.

However, that's not all.

Some Stranger Things fans have also shared theories about the role Ross Duffer's 2024 divorce from ex-wife Leigh Janiak may have played in the finale fiasco.

Hailey Bieber reacts to rumors she reposted TikTok accusing Justin of abuse
Justin Bieber Hailey Bieber reacts to rumors she reposted TikTok accusing Justin of abuse

Leigh, who is a film director and screenwriter, is said to have had an influence on the early seasons, and fans speculate that the final season may have flopped because she was no longer involved.

As fans continue to debate the controversial finale, the stars of Stranger Things themselves have also come forward with diverging opinions about the show's ambiguous ending.

Cover photo: Mike Coppola / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP

More on TV & Shows: