Netflix To Retcon Stranger Things With Animated Prequel Tales From ’85

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After five seasons, Stranger Things concluded in 2025, but Netflix plans to revisit this universe with a new take on the story, starting in April. Netflix has become known for its popular original series, some of which are now considered all-time greats. One of their biggest successes is Stranger Things, created by the Duffer brothers and first released in 2016.

The show Stranger Things transported audiences to the 1980s in the town of Hawkins, Indiana, a place full of unsettling secrets. The show became popular due to its unique ideas, its appeal to nostalgia, and its many intriguing mysteries. While it wasn’t always perfect, Stranger Things generally had a strong five-season run. The final season provided a conclusive ending to the series, though there’s potential for more stories within that world.

Netflix is continuing the story of Stranger Things with a new animated series called Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85. This series will actually add to and slightly change events from the original show, coming just a short time after the main story concluded.

Tales from ‘85 Will Inevitably Retcon Stranger Things

Created by Eric Robles, Stranger Things: Tales from ‘85 is a new animated spin-off of the popular Netflix series. As the title suggests, the story takes place in 1985, fitting between the second and third seasons of Stranger Things. Fans will once again follow Eleven, Will, Mike, Lucas, Dustin, and Max as they navigate new adventures.

In the upcoming season of Tales from ‘85, Eleven and her friends will encounter a fresh danger emerging from the Upside Down, even though they previously closed the gate to that dimension. This will lead them to face completely new and terrifying creatures, including monstrous vines and zombie-like pumpkin creatures. Plus, the group will gain a new member to help them along the way.

I’m really excited about this new show, Tales from ‘85! It’s going to introduce a character named Nikki Baxter, voiced by Odessa A’zion, who’s a bit older than Eleven and the gang. Apparently, she has her own run-in with the monsters from the Upside Down. Since it takes place between seasons of Stranger Things, I’m anticipating it will fill in some gaps and maybe even change how we see things in the original show – a bit of a retcon, I guess.

The animated series Tales from ‘85 is heavily influenced by the events of Stranger Things season 2, and its own storyline will, in turn, affect Stranger Things season 3. This creates a complex situation, as the animated show is expanding a universe that recently concluded.

Tales from ‘85 Is A Huge Risk For Stranger Things

The new show, Tales from ‘85, joins an existing series, and that’s its biggest challenge. It will likely change some details from Stranger Things season 3 and potentially later seasons, but it has to be careful not to alter too much. If it does, the main story could become confusing, riddled with inconsistencies, and leave viewers with too many unanswered questions.

Despite being a separate story, Tales from ‘85 can’t simply be a side adventure with no consequences. While it would be easiest to avoid plot problems with the existing seasons of Stranger Things, the spinoff needs to actually matter to the main story. Otherwise, there wouldn’t be much point in making it.

As a huge fan, what I’m hoping for with Tales from ‘85 is that it enriches the Stranger Things universe in a smart way. I expect there will be some unanswered questions – like why Nikki never came up in the original series, though maybe the spinoff will address that – but I really hope those mysteries don’t overshadow or contradict anything we already love about Stranger Things. It should add to the story, not rewrite it.

Is There Life For Stranger Things Beyond The Original Series?

Tales from ‘85 could be a lighthearted and enjoyable adventure featuring Eleven and the gang, but it raises questions about why Netflix chose to create a story set between seasons and as a prequel, instead of something completely original. This new series will reveal how much audiences still care about these characters and the world of Stranger Things.

I really hope the show explores what else is going on in Hawkins! It feels like we’ve only seen a tiny part of the story, focusing mostly on Eleven and her friends. There’s a whole town full of people who must have noticed something strange, and I’d love to see how they dealt with everything. Plus, it’s hard to believe Eleven and the gang were the only ones encountering creatures from the Upside Down. I think expanding the scope beyond their immediate circle could be amazing.

The huge success of Stranger Things created high expectations for any related shows, and the performance of Tales from ‘85 will be a key indicator of whether the franchise can continue beyond the original series.

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2026-03-29 17:51