Happy Stranger Things Day, nerds of Hawkins! Netflix just dropped a first look at its upcoming animated spinoff Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, set to arrive in 2026 — and fans are already losing their minds.
Marking the anniversary of Will Byers’ disappearance (November 6, 1983), Stranger Things Day has become a global celebration for fans of the hit sci-fi series. And this year, Netflix had a major surprise up its sleeve: a brand new animated adventure that throws viewers right back into the icy winter of 1985.
A New Chapter in Hawkins
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 promises to capture the nostalgic, eerie energy of the original show — but with a bold animated twist. The series follows the familiar gang as they face new monsters and uncover a chilling paranormal mystery haunting their town.
The show is led by showrunner and executive producer Eric Robles, known for his work on Fanboy & Chum Chum and Glitch Techs. He’s joined by Stranger Things creators Matt and Ross Duffer and Hilary Leavitt under their Upside Down Pictures banner, alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen from 21 Laps Entertainment. Animation duties are handled by Flying Bark Productions, the studio behind What If…? and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Meet the Voice Cast
The animated series features a fresh voice cast, including:
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Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven
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Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max
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Luca Diaz as Mike
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Ej (Elisha) Williams as Lucas
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Braxton Quinney as Dustin
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Ben Plessala as Will
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Brett Gipson as Hopper
Additional cast includes Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips — making for an impressive lineup that blends new talent with established names.
You can check out the first-look teaser on YouTube and see the official page at Netflix.com/StrangerThingsTalesFrom85.
Celebrating Stranger Things Day
For the uninitiated, Stranger Things Day marks the moment Will Byers vanished into the Upside Down — the catalyst for everything that followed in the Stranger Things universe. Every year on November 6, fans celebrate with exclusive events, merch drops, screenings, and online festivities. Learn more about the annual celebration at StrangerThingsDay.com.
With Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, Netflix is giving fans yet another reason to revisit Hawkins — just as the original series prepares to conclude with its highly anticipated fifth season.
