Netflix has just released the first teaser and images for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, a spin-off animated series set in the winter of 1985, following the events of Stranger Things season 5.
In the short teaser, Netflix confirms that Tales From ’85 will take viewers back to the familiar town of Hawkins, presented in a visual style heavily inspired by 1980s animation.
Netflix officially revealed the first look at Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, an animated project based on the globally popular science fiction series Stranger Things. The series is expected to premiere next year, with a timeline set between season 2 and season 3 of the live-action show, as Hawkins enters a turbulent winter in 1985.
Expanding the World of Stranger Things
The producers describe the story as: “Welcome back to Hawkins in the harsh winter of 1985, where familiar characters face new monsters and uncover a supernatural mystery threatening the town.”
A notable highlight is the entirely new voice cast, replacing the actors associated with Stranger Things for nearly a decade.
According to the announcement, Brooklyn Davey Norstedt voices Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport voices Max, Luca Diaz voices Mike, Elisha (EJ) Williams voices Lucas, Braxton Quinney voices Dustin, Ben Plessala voices Will, and Brett Gipson voices Hopper.
The series also features voice performances from Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips, familiar names for American television audiences.
The decision to introduce a new voice cast is considered a strategic move, allowing the animated project to develop its own identity without being directly compared to the live-action version.
At the same time, the animated format enables creators to expand their imagination, pushing Hawkins and Upside Down beyond the visual limitations previously seen on screen.
Creative Team Behind Tales From ’85
Eric Robles serves as showrunner for Tales From ’85. The project preserves the essence of Stranger Things, with creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer continuing as executive producers alongside Hilary Leavitt (Upside Down Pictures), Shawn Levy (21 Laps), and Dan Cohen.
The chosen timeline between seasons 2 and 3 has sparked strong curiosity among fans. During this period, Hawkins appears relatively calm following the battle with Mind Flayer, yet the lingering consequences of the Upside Down continue to threaten the town.
In the teaser, the Duffer Brothers shared that the idea for an animated Stranger Things project had existed since the early days of the franchise. Their goal was to capture the nostalgic feeling of 1980s animated series, where creative possibilities are nearly limitless.
Eric Robles emphasized that Tales From ’85 is not simply an animated adaptation, but a fresh way to explore Hawkins from a completely new creative perspective.
Netflix’s Brand Expansion Strategy
The animated series is expected to fill narrative gaps while introducing new supernatural threats not previously explored in the live-action version.
As Stranger Things approaches its conclusion, Tales From ’85 demonstrates Netflix’s long-term strategy to expand the franchise universe.
Rather than extending the main storyline, the platform is exploring alternative timelines and experimenting with new storytelling formats to sustain the popularity of a franchise that has become a global pop culture icon.
