Celebrate 'Stranger Things' Day with a first look at animated series 'Stranger Things: Tales From '85'

"Stranger Things" may be ending, but this animated series will bring you back to Hawkins in no time.
 By 
Belen Edwards
 on 
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Animated versions of "Stranger Things" characters Will, Max, Dustin, Eleven, Mike, and Lucas.
Get ready to see "Stranger Things" in a whole new way. Credit: Netflix

Happy Stranger Things day!

Nov. 6 marks the anniversary of Will Byers' disappearance in the very first episode of Stranger Things, so what better way to celebrate than by getting a look at a new Stranger Things series?

We're not talking about the fifth and final season of Stranger Things, which will be here before you can say "mouth breather." Instead, we're talking about Stranger Things: Tales From '85, an animated spin-off series that takes place between Stranger Things' second and third seasons. The show, set to release in 2026, reunites viewers with Hawkins heroes like Eleven and Will, who must uncover a new paranormal mystery in their town.


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Netflix has released a first look featurette of the new series, offering a glimpse into the show's animation and the new monsters that await the Stranger Things crew.

"With animation, there's really no limits," executive producer Ross Duffer says in the featurette. "[Showrunner] Eric [Robles] and his team can just go wild."

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"And they have," adds executive producer Matt Duffer.

To prove their point, Netflix also unveiled two first look images from Stranger Things: Tales From '85. One shows the Hawkins party gearing up for adventure, while the other features a massive monster that looks like a cross between a Demogorgon and a spider, which has ensnared Eleven and her friends in its tendrils.

Animated versions of "Stranger Things" characters Will, Max, Dustin, Eleven, Mike, and Lucas.
The gang's all here. Credit: Netflix
A massive monster ensnares the "Stranger Things" kids.
Is this better or worse than getting Mindflayed? Credit: Netflix

Netflix closed out the Stranger Things: Tales From '85 announcements with the reveal of the show's cast list. None of the original Stranger Things cast is reprising their roles, so who's taking over?

The cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, EJ Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Ben Plessala as Will, and Brett Gipson as Hopper. Other members of the cast include Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips.

Stranger Things: Tales From '85 premieres in 2026 on Netflix.

A woman in a white sweater with shoulder-length brown hair.
Belen Edwards
Entertainment Reporter

Belen Edwards is an Entertainment Reporter at Mashable. She covers movies and TV with a focus on fantasy and science fiction, adaptations, animation, and more nerdy goodness. She is a member of the Critics Choice Association and the Television Critics Association, as well as a Tomatometer-approved critic.

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