Director of Stranger Things Documentary Responds to Duffer Brothers’ ChatGPT Script Controversy: “No One Has Truly Verified It”

After a mixed reaction to the finale of Stranger Things season 5, fans have been dissecting Netflix’s new documentary with great interest, even suggesting that the Duffer brothers might have had a ChatGPT tab open while crafting the season 5 script.

In a notable scene from One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things season 5, creators Matt and Ross Duffer are seen working on the script in a Google Doc. However, it’s the background that has sparked curiosity. Among various tabs, viewers spotted what appears to be a Reddit tab and what many believe to be a ChatGPT tab. One fan on Twitter remarked, “Duffer Brothers really used ChatGPT for this script?” while sharing a screenshot from the documentary.

The Duffer brothers have not yet addressed these claims. However, in a recent interview, One Last Adventure director Martina Radwan weighed in on the speculation. “I mean, are we even sure they had ChatGPT open?” she questioned. “Nobody has actually proved that it was open… But to me it’s like, doesn’t everybody have it open, to just do quick research?… That’s like having your iPhone next to your computer while you’re writing a story.”

Radwan makes a valid point, as many people incorporate ChatGPT into their daily routines. A study by OpenAI revealed that the chatbot had over 800 million weekly active users by the end of 2025. Still, fans are primarily concerned with the notion that the Duffers might have relied on the AI tool for the season 5 script, though there’s no concrete evidence to support this.

When further questioned, Radwan stated, “How can you possibly write a storyline with 19 characters and use ChatGPT? I don’t even understand.” When asked directly if she observed any unethical use of generative AI in the writers’ room, she replied, “No, of course not. I witnessed creative exchanges. I witnessed conversation.” As it stands, there’s no evidence that the Duffers utilized ChatGPT at all.

One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5 is currently available for streaming on Netflix.