After nearly a decade as one of Netflix’s flagship franchises, Stranger Things has finally closed the book on its main story with Season 5—but not without plenty of controversy.
Season 5, which concluded on December 31, split the fanbase, with the finale in particular sparking backlash. Petitions calling for “extended cuts” circulated, while social media filled with theories claiming the ending was fake, incomplete, or intentionally misleading.
For a TV series once praised for its emotional clarity and definitive storytelling, the reaction marked an unusually messy farewell.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
That makes Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 more than just a spin-off. The upcoming 3D animated series could serve as a major course correction for the franchise, offering fans a way back into Hawkins without reopening the debates surrounding Season 5.
First announced by Netflix in April 2025, Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, which places it firmly between seasons 2 and 3.
The show is executive produced by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps, Hilary Leavitt of Upside Down Pictures, and showrunner Eric Robles, with animation handled by Flying Bark Productions.
Watch the announcement teaser below:
Related: ‘Stranger Things’: Countdown To Official New Chapter Has Begun
While the series acts as a prequel, or an “in between” installment, meaning it may do little to undo the damage left by Season 5, it will see the return of several familiar characters.
Set in Hawkins during the winter of 1985, the series follows the original ensemble (Mike, Eleven, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max) as new monsters emerge from the Upside Down.
Returning Characters and New Voice Actors
The voice cast includes Brett Gipson as Jim Hopper, Luca Diaz as Mike Wheeler, Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Braxton Quinney as Dustin Henderson, Elisha Williams as Lucas Sinclair, Ben Plessala as Will Byers, and Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max Mayfield. The gang will be joined by newcomer Nikki Baxter, while additional actors include Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips, who have been cast in undisclosed roles.
Netflix has described Tales From ’85 as more family-friendly, with brighter visuals and an “entry-level” tone that still leans into the franchise’s mix of nostalgia and horror. After a divisive ending, that back-to-basics approach may be exactly what Stranger Things needs.
Watch Stranger Things Seasons 1 — 5 Now
Stranger Things seasons 1 — 5 are streaming on Netflix.
Stranger Things Season 5 stars Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry Creel), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), and Linda Hamilton (Dr. Kay).
Are you excited about Stranger Things: Tales From ’85? Let us know in the comments!
