Stranger Things recently wrapped its five-season run with one of Netflix’s biggest finales, but the closing chapter didn’t arrive without controversy. The Season 5 ending sparked intense debate and wild theories online. But despite the series concluding its main storyline, Netflix has made it clear that Hawkins isn’t finished just yet.
The franchise has already steadily grown beyond the live-action show through novels, comics, games, and stage productions. Now, it’s venturing into animation with Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, a 3D animated spinoff that revisits the show’s core group during an earlier period in the timeline. And the first official trailer has finally arrived:
A Return To Hawkins’ Past
Set during the winter of 1985, the series takes place between seasons 2 and 3. The story brings back familiar characters including Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, Max, Steve, Nancy, and Hopper for a new supernatural mystery involving never-before-seen monsters.
Netflix’s official synopsis reads: “Welcome back to Hawkins in the winter of 1985, where the original characters face new monsters — and a paranormal mystery — in this epic animated series.”
The setting between established seasons suggests the creative team is working carefully around existing continuity. By exploring a previously unseen stretch of time, the show creates space for new threats without contradicting events from the live-action series.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ 2026 Spinoff Will Retcon Main Series in a Major Way | Disney Dining
Stranger Things Canon Questions Remain
That said, neither Netflix nor the Duffer brothers have officially confirmed whether Tales From ’85 is fully canon. Although several elements suggest it aligns closely with the main storyline. For instance, the series acknowledges that Eleven closed the gate to the Upside Down at the end of Season 2, meaning these new creatures aren’t directly from the shadow dimension.
Showrunner Eric Robles explained how the team approached this concept, telling EW last year, “I dissected the [main live-action] show, looking for any loopholes. I found a few of ’em. And then I found this one idea that I was just like, ‘Oh s—! I think that’s it.’ What is this big idea? Hawkins Lab science meets Upside Down matter. There’s a chain reaction to the creatures that are in our world and the things that are popping up.”
An ’80s Cartoon Influence
Robles has also pointed to The Real Ghostbusters as a tonal guide for the series. “It all went back to The Real Ghostbusters,” he previously told Deadline. “It was silly but had a handful of dark, creepy episodes and we just kept talking about that. That became the north star for us.”
This might suggest that Tales From ’85 will only be loosely connected to its live-action counterpart in the same way The Real Ghostbusters is considered secondary canon with the films.
Tales From ’85 premieres April 23 on Netflix.
Are you excited about Tales From ’85? What do you think of the new trailer? Let us know in the comments!
