> At a Glance
> – Stranger Things concluded its fifth and final season on December 31, 2025
> – Animated series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 arrives on Netflix in 2026
> – A still-untitled live-action spinoff will feature new characters and a different decade
> – Why it matters: Fans can stay inside the Upside Down universe through multiple new projects already in production
Netflix closed the gate on December 31, 2025, but the Stranger Things universe is far from over. The streamer has lined up an animated show, a live-action spinoff, and a Broadway prequel to keep Hawkins alive.
Animated Series: Tales From ’85
Set during the winter of 1985 between seasons 2 and 3, the cartoon brings back the core kids plus fresh monsters. Eric Robles serves as showrunner, with Matt and Ross Duffer executive-producing alongside him.
> The Duffer Brothers noted the goal was “to evoke a feeling of an ’80s cartoon” while revealing that “nothing is quite as they thought it was.”
New voice cast highlights:
- Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven
- Luca Diaz as Mike
- Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max
- Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas
- Braxton Quinney as Dustin
- Benjamin Plessala as Will
- Brett Gipson as Hopper
Netflix will release Tales From ’85 sometime in 2026.
Live-Action Spinoff Still Brewing
Production is in “very early days,” the Duffer Brothers told The Hollywood Reporter. The project marks “a clean slate” with:
- A new decade
- Fresh characters
- Loose ties back to original story threads
Matt and Ross will remain “heavily involved” but not act as showrunners. Ross teased that the concept is “an idea we’ve had for years” and may resolve lingering questions from the flagship show.
Broadway Prequel Now Playing
Stranger Things: The First Shadow opened at a New York City theater in April 2025. The play rewinds to 1959 Hawkins, following younger versions of:
- Henry Creel
- Jim Hopper
- Joyce Maldonado (later Byers)
- Bob Newby
Kate Trefry wrote the script from a story conceived by the Duffers and Jack Thorne. Cast members include Louis McCartney, Burke Swanson, and Alison Jaye.
Key Takeaways
- The flagship series wrapped after five seasons, ending its decade-long run
- An animated adventure continues the kids’ story in 1985 with a new voice cast
- A separate live-action series will explore uncharted corners of the mythology
- Theater-goers can already watch the origin tale on Broadway
The Upside Down may be sealed, but Netflix is keeping the door to Hawkins wide open.
