The Duffer Brothers are planning on releasing a handful of Stranger Things projects in 2025 and beyond across different mediums.
The majority of Netflix subscribers have been patiently waiting for the release of Stranger Things Season 5 so that they can finally see the conclusion of one of the biggest shows in recent memory. A recent release update likely excited fans, but there has still been no confirmation on when Season 5 will be released.
Although the flagship series will come to a close with Season 5, there are already plans in place to continue the franchise in multiple ways.
Every Stranger Things Project and Spin-Off in the Works
Stranger Things: The First Shadow on Broadway
Many Stranger Things fans probably think Season 5 is the next project on the release slate within the respective universe, but something else will come out even before the upcoming installment.
A Broadway play titled Stranger Things: The First Shadow is scheduled to be released in the spring, bringing the Upside Down to life on-stage. Performances are scheduled to begin on March 28, but the show won't officially open until April 22.
Not many confirmed details have been released about The First Shadow, but it will be an original story by the Duffer Brothers (who also created Stranger Things), Jack Thorne (who penned Enola Holmes 2), and Kate Trefry.
Some familiar characters will be in The First Shadow, such as Victor Creel (who will be played by T.R. Knight), Dr. Brenner (Alex Breaux), Joyce Maldonado (who is better known by her married name, Joyce Byers (Alison Jaye), and James Hopper Jr. (also known as Jim Hopper (Burke Swanson).
Tickets are already on sale for the play, and fans can see an official teaser for it on the Broadway play's official website.
Stranger Things Season 5
The next project in the Stranger Things universe to be released in 2025 will be the fifth and final season of the flagship show itself.
A specific release date for Season 5 is still unknown, but it will debut on Netflix sometime in 2025.
Netflix recently released a teaser for some of its biggest upcoming projects, including Stranger Things Season 5. However, many fans were quite upset with the footage used and are growing fairly impatient for the new season.
Hardly any plot details have been released regarding the upcoming season, but one of the show's main stars did tease that their character will be going through a lot of grief on-screen.
While there has been no official announcement regarding Season 5's release, the most likely projection is that it will come out sometime around Fall 2025.
'Project Mirkwood' (Animated Series)
In April 2023, it was announced that an animated series set in the Stranger Things universe would be released sometime in the future on Netflix.
The show will reportedly run for two seasons and is in production (as of writing), but it has no specific release date or even a release window.
Project Mirkwood will have the Duffer Brothers as executive producers alongside Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, and Eric Robles.
Stranger Things Tokyo (Animated Series)
According to a report from What's On Netflix, the Duffer Brothers and Netflix are planning to develop and release an anime series set in the Stranger Things universe titled Stranger Things Tokyo.
The show would obviously be set in Japan, and since that report came out in December 2022, there have been no new updates regarding it.
It is possible that it could be the same as Project Mirkwood, but it could still be an entirely different project, but only time will tell.
Stranger Things Live-Action Spinoff (Season 1)
In this day and age, a popular streaming series is almost always guaranteed to get a direct spin-off or sequel project attached to it once it ends.
Stranger Things is no different, as at least one (maybe more) spin-off has been teased for the future.
On July 6, 2022, it was confirmed by Netflix that the Duffer Brothers had started their own production company called Upside Down Pictures. The Duffers (and their company) inked a deal with Netflix for multiple future projects, one of which was confirmed to be at least one season of a live-action Stranger Things spin-off.
No information was given about the spin-off other than it would be an original story from the Duffers and would be produced by Upside Down Pictures and 21 Laps.
However, it is worth noting that Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler in the flagship show) is apparently the only person aside from the Duffer Brothers who knows what the show is about.
In a 2022 interview with Variety, the Duffer brothers revealed Wolfhard "correctly guessed" what the spin-off will be about:
"We do have an idea for a spinoff that we’re super excited about … but we haven’t told anyone the idea yet, much less written it. We think everyone — including Netflix — will be surprised when they hear the concept, because it’s very, very different. But somehow Finn Wolfhard — who is one crazy smart kid — correctly guessed what it was going to be about. But aside from Finn, no one else knows!"
The release date for the upcoming spin-off is entirely unknown, but it is likely pretty far off seeing as how the flagship show hasn't finished and other projects, like the animated series, are currently in development.
Stranger Things is streaming on Netflix, and Season 5 will be released sometime in 2025.
