Netflix has announced a new Stranger Things project for release in April–and it's not Season 5.
The sci-fi horror series, which began in 2016, will conclude its fifth season in 2025. However, Netflix has already commissioned several projects that will expand the Stranger Things world.
One of these spin-offs already in effect on London's West End is Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a stage show that serves as a prequel to the Netflix series.
The Next Stranger Things Project Has Been Announced Before Season 5 Debut
Netflix released a trailer earlier in the week confirming that a documentary about Stranger Things: The First Shadow will be released on April 15. This documentary marks the next release in the Stranger Things universe, with Netflix still refraining from announcing a specific date for Stranger Things 5.
The new special (titled Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow) will focus on the London production of the play at the Phoenix Theatre, going behind the scenes in the lead-up to its opening night in December 2023.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a prequel set in Hawkins in 1959. It follows the origin story of Henry Creel (played by Jamie Campbell Bower in the TV show), devised by the Duffer brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry.
In a blog post on Tudum, Netflix describes Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow as a "race against time" to create an "ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show:"
"In the documentary, you can step into the Upside Down with the production team and feel the rush as they race against time to prepare the ambitious, boundary-pushing stage show for its London debut amid mounting anticipation from fans and critics."
The documentary is being released in conjunction with the arrival of Stranger Things: The First Shadow in the U.S. as it officially opens on Broadway on April 22.
Stranger Things Season 5 and the Future of the Franchise
Stranger Things: The First Shadow and its documentary special are two major releases for the Netflix franchise in 2025, but naturally, the biggest event in the Stranger Things calendar this year is Season 5.
Netflix has so far avoided confirming a release window for Stranger Things 5, but the final season is confirmed to come out sometime before the end of 2025.
Several spin-offs, including an animated Stranger Things series, are also in development right now, but none have release dates attached.
The next major event where fans may receive an update on Stranger Things 5 and the expanding universe is Netflix's Tudum event. This event often highlights the streamer's biggest upcoming releases and is also a place for announcements and updates on new projects.
