Netflix is officially expanding the world of Stranger Things following its series finale, with an announcement poised to pull back the curtain on one of the show's lingering mysteries. Created by Matt and Ross Duffer (the Duffer Brothers), Stranger Things ran for five seasons on Netflix. Set in the 1980s in the fictional town of Hawkins, Indiana, the series followed a group of kids, led by Millie Bobby Brown's Eleven, as they confronted government experiments, a parallel dimension known as the Upside Down, and monstrous threats including Demogorgon, the Mind Flayer, and Vecna. By blending supernatural horror, science fiction, and heavy '80s nostalgia, the series became one of Netflix's biggest global hits and concluded its main run in December 2025.
Despite the finale, Netflix and the Duffers were never finished with the universe. The expansion has already taken several forms, filling timeline gaps, deepening the mythology by expanding Henry Creel's backstory, and giving fans new ways to enter the world.
On Stranger Things Day 2026, Netflix announced Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure, a live-action spinoff series set in 1955 in Marion, Nevada. This marks the third Stranger Things spinoff after the arrival of Stranger Things: Tales of '85 and Stranger Things: The First Shadow. By counting the original series, this also serves as Netflix's fourth Stranger Things show.
The series is positioned as a true prequel, as it takes place decades before the original Stranger Things and even before the events of the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow (which is set in 1959). Co-created by The Duffer Brothers and longtime franchise writer Kate Trefry, the show is confirmed to feature an all-new cast and original story separate from Eleven, the Hawkins kids, or any of the main series' core characters.
The first teaser showed a glimpse of the town, alongside an ominous disturbance in the sky resembling the formation of a wormhole, suggesting that another dimension will be featured in this spinoff.
Watch the official announcement from Netflix below:
Production will take place in New Mexico, with a targeted Netflix premiere in 2028.
Every Other Stranger Things Spinoff on Netflix & Other Media
Stranger Things: Tales of ’85
Stranger Things: Tales from '85 is the franchise's first animated spinoff, highlighted as an "inbetweenquel" set between the end of Season 2 and the summer events of Season 3. The series was developed to capture the spirit of classic 1980s Saturday-morning cartoons infused with a Stranger Things vibe and twist.
Developed by showrunner Eric Robles, it brings back the core kids from the main show, Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max, as they form the Hawkins Investigators Club (HIC) and confront new supernatural threats while still trying to live normal lives in Hawkins. The animated spinoff also introduced a brand-new character not seen in the live-action show: Nikki Baxter (Odessa A'zion), a pink-mohawked tinkerer who became part of the group during the show's current two-season run.
Season 1 premiered on Netflix on April 23, 2026, with 10 episodes. Tales from '85 introduced newfound threats, such as vine-like creatures and a plant-based Queen monster akin to the Mind Flayer. Stranger Things: Tales from '85 Season 2 arrived on September 17, focusing on the core group as they deal with ghostly apparitions, glowing blue flowers, and threats emerging from Hawkins' abandoned silver mines.
Beyond expanding the franchise's lore, Tales from '85 is well-positioned as a lighter, more adventure-driven companion piece that fills a specific gap in the show's intriguing timeline.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow
Stranger Things: The First Shadow is the franchise's official stage prequel. Written by Kate Trefry (who also serves as the showrunner of Other Worlds), the stage play explores the origins of Henry Creel (who later becomes Vecna in the timeline) and the key events that shaped the mythology of the Upside Down.
The Duffer Brothers have already confirmed the play is canon, and Season 5 of the main series even referenced elements from it, such as the Nevada cave. While this play is not required viewing to understand the TV show, it effectively deepens the backstory, most notably Henry Creel's shift to Vecna.
The narrative focuses on events in Nevada involving a young Henry Creel encountering a scientist's briefcase containing otherworldly material, while its main story jumps forward in time to 1959, focusing on a teenage Henry who encounters younger versions of Joyce, Jim Hopper, and Bob Newby. It also ties into Dr. Brenner's early work at Hawkins Lab.
Directed by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin, Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiered in London's West End at the Phoenix Theater in December 2023 and transferred to Broadway's Marquis Theater in April 2025. A filmed version of the play is reportedly headed to Netflix, but there is no word on when it will premiere on the streamer.
