Stranger Things might have wrapped up its main story on Netflix last year, but the franchise is far from done. Netflix has now dropped the first trailer for a brand-new animated spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, keeping the world of Hawkins alive with a fresh adventure set to arrive later this year.
The original Stranger Things series ended after five seasons and a massive finale. Yet, both fans and creators felt that there were still corners of this universe left to explore. That feeling clearly stuck with the Duffer Brothers, who are helping guide this animated offshoot in a new and playful direction.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 plot and timeline
Netflix has confirmed that Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 will debut on April 23, 2026 and the newly released trailer offers the first real glimpse of what’s to come.
Set between Seasons 2 and 3 of the original show, Tales From ’85 brings the familiar gang back together while shifting the tone and format. The animated series revisits Hawkins during the winter of 1985, where the kids find themselves pulled into another paranormal mystery threatening their town.
“When we started talking about was there anything else we wanted to do with Stranger Things, this was one of our first ideas,” said Ross Duffer. According to Duffer Brothers, animating the show gives them the freedom to lean into bigger threats, stranger creatures, and a different sense of scale while keeping the emotional core intact.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 voice cast details
While the characters look and sound a little different, the show creators assure that the heart of Stranger Things is still very much there, mixing childhood adventure with real danger and high stakes.
The spinoff also introduces a completely new voice cast. Brooklyn Davey Norstedt voices Eleven, with Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Benjamin Plessala as Will, and Brett Gipson as Hopper. Jeremy Jordan joins as Steve, alongside Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips in additional roles.
With its release date locked in and the first trailer now out, Tales From ’85 looks set to give fans one more reason to head back to Hawkins and see what new trouble awaits. If you’re looking for something to watch while you wait, here are some TV shows with a similar Stranger Things vibe worth checking out.
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