Following the success of Kate Bush’s music in its latest series, Netflix is said to be planning a live Stranger Things themed musical.
The streaming platform’s executives have reportedly been granted a trademark for ‘live theatrical, musical, or comedic performance’ as part of their plans.
According to The Sun, the Broadway-style musical will be a live theatre performance based on the hit supernatural thriller series.
Netflix is said to have filed documents with the UK’s Intellectual Property Office seeking trademark protection for the show as well as food and drink products such as gum.
Running Up That Hill, which was featured in the fourth season of Stranger Things, soared to number one in the UK charts after being featured.
Running Up That Hill is grieving teen Max Mayfield’s (Sadie Sink) favorite song on the show, and it unexpectedly saves her life in episode four.
Since the highly anticipated third season of Stranger Things premiered on Netflix in May, Spotify streams for Running Up That Hill have increased by 153%.
After appearing in the popular Netflix science fiction series and going viral on TikTok, the 1985 song reached the top of the UK charts this month.
And, in a rare interview, Kate Bush revealed that her son Albert, 23, thinks it’s ‘pretty cool’ that her song Running Up That Hill was featured on the show.
Kate, 63, discussed her love/hate relationship with technology on BBC Radio 4’s Women’s Hour, saying she now uses a ‘ancient phone’ to avoid being bombarded with emails while she’s out.
Emma Barnett, the show’s host, asked the musician what her son Albert McIntosh, also known as Bertie, thinks about a new generation discovering her music.
‘I think he thinks it’s pretty cool,’ she said.
When asked if Bertie enjoys the show, Kate replied, ‘We all do!’ When the first season of Stranger Things premiered, our friends kept asking, “Have you seen Stranger Things?” so we binge watched it and have been watching it ever since.’
During the interview, Kate’s relationship with technology was discussed, and she revealed her love of her ‘ancient’ phone, which allows her to avoid emails.
‘Technology is advancing at an incredible rate,’ she said. It’s difficult to keep up with.
‘It was really great because we were working in a small theatre and I wanted there to be a strong connection between the audience and everyone on stage.’
‘Phones are extremely distracting. It’s a little different in an open air concert, but we were attempting to create an atmosphere with our actions.
‘I have an extremely old phone. It’s quite old. That suits me because I spend a lot of time on my laptop, and going out during the day means I don’t have to deal with emails, which everyone knows. I just get texts and calls on my phone and it means I have a bit of peace.’
‘It’s just extraordinary,’ Kate said of her new number one. Because it’s such a great series, I expected the track to get some attention.
‘But I never expected it to be anything like this.’ It’s so exciting, it’s almost shocking, isn’t it? The entire world has gone insane!’
The singer also admitted that she hadn’t listened to her song in a long time because she doesn’t like to listen to her “old stuff.”
‘I never listen to my old stuff, but when things like this come along, I’m usually involved in something like doing an edit or revisiting the track for some other reason, so I’m working,’ she explained.
‘But I haven’t heard it in a long time.’
After gaining a slew of new fans as a result of Max’s fight against villain Vecna in Stranger Things, Kate expressed her appreciation for her song being used as a backdrop for the character’s survival, praising the show’s creators for doing so in a ‘positive way.’
‘I think they put it in a really special place,’ she explained. The series was created by the Duffer brothers, and we watched it from the beginning, starting with the first series, so I was already familiar with it.
‘What a lovely way for the song to be used in such a positive way, as a kind of talisman for Max,’ I thought. It was actually very touching.’
Kate’s song, the lead single from her Hounds Of Love album, debuted at number two behind Harry Styles’ As It Was, but it was later revealed that the 80s song had beaten the former One Direction star to the top spot.
Kate is now the oldest female singer to have a UK No. 1 single, surpassing Cher, who achieved the feat with Believe in 1998.
It is Kate’s first number one single since her debut single, Wuthering Heights, hit number one in 1978, when she was only 19 years old. This also means she holds the record for the longest gap between number ones, at 44 years.
Running Up That Hill is currently number one in Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland, and has reached a new peak of number four in the US charts.
It debuted at number three in the United Kingdom and peaked at number twelve in 2012.
‘Yeah!’ she exclaimed, overjoyed that her song had reached a new audience. What’s really wonderful, in my opinion, is that it’s a whole new audience that has never heard of me before. And I adore it!’ I think it’s very special to think of all these really young people hearing the song for the first time and discovering it.’
‘I really like people to hear a song and take what they want from it,’ she says of her song, originally titled Deal With God. However, it was originally written with the intention of a man and a woman swapping places in order to experience life from the other side.’
It comes as Kate is reportedly set to bank more than £1 million following the success of her 1985 hit.
According to The Sun, ‘Kate is on track to bank a seven-figure sum as a result of its resurgence.’
‘She owns all of the publishing and licencing rights, and she wrote it, so she gets nearly all of the money.’
Given the song’s popularity, Kate will easily earn £250,000 per week, and if things continue as they are, she’ll be laughing all the way to the bank.’
The song receives nearly a million daily streams on Spotify, earning Kate around £250,000 per week, and it is on track to remain at the top of the chart for the second week in a row.
Kate’s representative has been contacted for comment.
Meanwhile, Kate recently praised the popular horror drama’s creators for “bringing the song into so many people’s lives.”
‘I believe the Duffer Brothers have touched people’s hearts in a special way at a time that’s incredibly difficult for everyone, especially younger people,’ said the musician.
‘By featuring Running Up That Hill as a talisman for Max (one of the main female characters), the song has been brought into the emotional arena of her story.
‘She and her friends are surrounded by fear, conflict, and the power of love.
‘I applaud the Duffer Brothers for taking this new series into a much more adult and darker territory.’ I’d like to express my gratitude to them for introducing the song to so many people.
‘I’m overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support for the song, and it’s all happening at breakneck speed, as if propelled by an elemental force.’
‘I must admit, I am deeply moved by it all.’ Thank you so much for helping to make the song a No. 1 in such an unexpected way.’
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