Netflix has released the first trailer for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, the new animated series set between Seasons 2 and 3 of the original hit show.
While Stranger Things may have wrapped its mainline story, the kids of Hawkins aren’t done yet, and something terrifying from the Upside Down has survived.
Created by Eric Robles (Glitch Techs), with Stranger Things creators the Duffer Brothers on board as executive producers, Tales From ’85 premieres April 23 only on Netflix.
Watch below.
The Story Picks Up After Season 2
The animated series is set in the winter of 1985, following Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Will, Lucas, and Max after Eleven closed the gate at Hawkins Lab.
With things seemingly quiet again, the kids return to a life of Dungeons & Dragons, snowball fights, and typical teenage drama, but danger isn’t far behind.
Showrunner Eric Robles told Netflix’s Tudum that the big challenge was how to introduce new threats now that the gate to the Upside Down is closed. After digging deep into the show’s mythology and ‘80s horror inspirations, he crafted a mystery grounded in science, fear, and friendship.
New Monsters, Same Heart
The series doesn’t feature Demogorgons or Mind Flayers, instead, Robles and his team introduce new creatures made from Hawkins Lab science fused with Upside Down DNA. T
hink “monsters in the snow” with serious Jaws-style tension. Robles teases, “Underneath all that snow, there’s something lurking.”
The tone is reminiscent of early Stranger Things: dangerous, mysterious, but also filled with heart. “These kids are not saving the world — they’re saving Hawkins,” Robles noted.
A Familiar Yet Fresh Cast
The voice cast includes:
- Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven
- Luca Diaz as Mike
- Braxton Quinney as Dustin
- Benjamin Plessala as Will
- Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas
- Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max
We also see the blossoming of relationships like Lucas and Max, and Dustin forming the “Hawkins Investigators Club” to tackle the new mystery.
A Return to What Fans Love
According to Robles, Tales From ’85 is about “freezing time” and going back to when the stakes were personal, the characters were close-knit, and the plot wasn’t about saving the world, just surviving a very weird town.
With the Duffer Brothers actively involved, fans can expect faithful character arcs, emotional beats, and some serious ‘80s nostalgia.
Trailer Reaction & Release Date
The trailer, now live, teases a creepy, snowy Hawkins filled with eerie forests, flickering flashlights, and mysterious plant monsters. Fans of the franchise will feel right at home, but the animation allows for new types of tension and surreal Upside Down horror.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 hits Netflix on April 23, 2026.
Watch the trailer:
