Stranger Things: Tales from '85

The series is set in Hawkins in the winter of 1985, between the events of the second and third seasons of Stranger Things, where "the original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery". The Upside Down's influence is again seeping into the town: familiar locations such as Hawkins National Laboratory resurface, and new supernatural creatures emerge (early descriptions include threats such as Upside Down pumpkin zombies and vine-like monsters). Official descriptions emphasize that the series is an "epic new animated series", promising a blend of nostalgia and horror reminiscent of Stranger Things tone. According to showrunner Eric Robles, the setup involves "something brewing in Hawkins", with the kids banding together to investigate the disturbances, much like in the original series. The tone is said to be more family-friendly and brighter in its visuals than the live-action show (described by Netflix and press reports as "entry-level Stranger Things" suitable for broader audiences). == Voice cast and characters ==

• Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven / Jane Hopper • Brett Gipson as Jim Hopper • Jeremy Jordan as Steve Harrington • Griffin Burns as Jonathan Byers • Lou Diamond Phillips as Daniel Fischer • Robert Englund as Cosmo • Alysia Reiner as Karen Wheeler • Jim Titus as Officer Powell • Miriam Flynn as Flo • Alessandra Antonelli as Nancy Wheeler • Jordan Reynolds as Officer Callahan • Valeria Rodriguez as Rosario • Jack Griffo as Jeff Nelson == Episodes ==

Development In February 2022, Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers announced their intention to create spin-offs. In July 2022, Netflix revealed that such a series was in the works. In April 2023, the network greenlit a straight-to-series order for an animated series set in the Stranger Things universe. The animation is being provided by Flying Bark Productions, with Eric Robles, the Duffer Brothers, Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen as executive producers. The Duffers said the series would be in the vein of the Saturday-morning cartoons they grew up with. In 2025, it was revealed that the spin-off would be titled ''Stranger Things: Tales from '85, and as the title implies, it is set in the winter of 1985, between the second and third seasons of the main series. The series will introduce a new character named Nikki Baxter who is said to be "a tinker", and who has pinkish hair that is short on the sides. On November 6, 2025, Netflix released a teaser for Tales from '85'', also revealing its voice cast. In April 2026, the series was renewed for a second season, which is set to be released in late 2026. Animation Animation is handled by Flying Bark Productions in Sydney. Robles cites 1980s cartoons and young adult horror as major influences, including He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Scooby-Doo and especially The Real Ghostbusters (which he referred to as his "north star"). The production team also studied modern animated successes like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Arcane in creating the visual style. Prominent creature designer Carlos Huante, known for E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial and Prometheus, was involved in creating the new monsters. Additional voice cast members were revealed in March 2026, with one of them being Robert Englund, who had previously portrayed Victor Creel in the original series. == Release ==

''Stranger Things: Tales from '85'' premiered on Netflix on April 23, 2026, with the first two episodes premiering early via a limited release in select theaters on April 18. ==Reception==

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 61% approval rating based on 33 critic reviews. Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 52 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average". == References ==