Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is an American animated science fiction television series and a spin-off of Netflix's Stranger Things. First announced by Netflix in April 2025, it was executive produced by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer, as well as Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps, Hilary Leavitt of Upside Down Pictures, and Eric Robles with Flying Bark Productions.
The series takes place between the events of the second and third seasons of Stranger Things, and depicts the children – Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max – as they confront new monsters of the Upside Down, and unravel a "paranormal mystery terrorizing their town". The Duffers intended to capture the feel of an '80s Saturday-morning cartoon in the Stranger Things universe.
Stranger Things: Tales from '85 premiered on April 23, 2026, on Netflix, to mixed reviews from critics. Five days later, the series was renewed for a second season, which is set to be released on September 17, 2026.
Contents
Premise
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's 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
Luca Diaz as Mike Wheeler
Braxton Quinney as Dustin Henderson
Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max Mayfield
Elisha "EJ" Williams as Lucas Sinclair
Ben Plessala as Will Byers
Odessa A'zion as Nikki Baxter
Brett Gipson as Jim Hopper
Janeane Garofalo as Anna Baxter
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
Production
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.
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.
Casting
Several main characters from the original Stranger Things series return in animated form, as well as Nikki Baxter, a new character described as "taller and bigger" than the core group who joins the Hawkins kids in their adventures. In November 2025, the voice cast was revealed. 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.
Music
Brad Breeck composed the series' score, which references the original series's theme composed by Kyle Dixon and Michael Stein.
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. The second season is set to premiere on September 17, 2026.
Reception
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the series holds a 61% approval rating based on 36 critic reviews, with an average of rated reviews of 5.9/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "A nostalgic return to the world of Stranger Things paired with a fun animation style means Tales from '85 can steadily continue the story for a new set of younger viewers, while still appealing to the core fanbase." Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned a score of 52 out of 100 based on 17 critics, indicating "mixed or average".
