How Eleven’s Return In Netflix’s New Stranger Things Spinoff Is Different From The Original Series Explained By Shawn Levy

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WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Stranger Things’ series finale!

Even after the final episode of Stranger Things, Eleven and the rest of the group will still be available on Netflix, but in a different format than the original series.

The finale of Stranger Things left Eleven’s fate uncertain after she seemingly sacrificed herself to destroy the Upside Down, hoping to protect other children from government experiments. Mike suggested she might have actually survived and escaped to a location with three waterfalls. While it’s unclear whether she lived or died in the main series, Eleven will be back with Mike, Lucas, Dustin, Will, and Max in a new Stranger Things spinoff coming to Netflix.

Coming in 2026, Netflix’s animated spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, will revisit the characters fans know and love, filling in the story between seasons 2 and 3. While featuring the same characters, Tales from ’85 will use a new cast of voice actors as they investigate a mystery and battle creatures from the Upside Down. According to executive producer Shawn Levy, the spinoff will also have some key story differences from the original Stranger Things series.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Shawn Levy explained that while Tales from ’85 shares some similarities with Stranger Things, it’s not simply an animated version. He emphasized that the new series will feel and look quite different from the original show. Levy described Tales from ’85 as a unique take on the franchise, comparing the original Stranger Things to the family-friendly cartoons of the 1980s and 90s.

I’m really thrilled about this new show. It’s not just a continuation of what you already love – it’s something different, with its own unique feel and look. We’re expanding on the show’s story and history, filling in details you’ve never seen before in the original series. The creators, the Duffers, were inspired by the family-friendly animation of the ’80s and ’90s, and that’s the vibe we’re going for. It’s not like an animated version of ‘Stranger Things’; it truly stands on its own.

Unlike the main Stranger Things series, which has become darker and more complex, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will have a different feel. This means you’ll see Eleven and the other familiar characters behaving differently as they face new challenges in Hawkins. Their interactions and how they solve mysteries will be fresh, and won’t necessarily align with what you saw of them in the final moments of the original Stranger Things season.

Though the main story of Stranger Things is ending, fans will soon see the beloved characters return in a new animated spinoff on Netflix. This series is set in a snowy 1985 and will follow the group back in middle school. It promises a return to the lighter, more innocent way they handled problems, similar to what viewers enjoyed in season 2.

Netflix

Unlike the main Stranger Things series, which became increasingly intense, Tales from ’85 offers a more lighthearted and fun look at the characters Eleven, Mike, Max, Dustin, and Will as kids. It focuses on the franchise’s spooky and mysterious side without the most upsetting and tragic moments, saving those for the main storyline.

Netflix hasn’t announced the official release date for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 yet, but it’s expected in 2026. Before that, fans can watch One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things Season 5 on January 12th. This documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the show’s final season.

Now that the original actors from Stranger Things have finished playing their roles, Tales from ’85 introduces a new group of voice actors to bring the characters of Hawkins to life. Brooklyn Davey Norstedt will voice Eleven, Luca Diaz will voice Mike, Braxton Quinney will voice Dustin, Elisha Williams will voice Lucas, Ben Plessala will voice Will, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport will voice Max, and Brett Gipson will voice Jim Hopper.

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2026-01-06 22:41