The world of Hawkins, Indiana, isn’t quite finished telling its story. Netflix is extending the Stranger Things universe with Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85, an animated mid-quel series set to premiere on April 23, 2026, according to a trailer released February 2nd.
The recent series, taking place between the events of Stranger Things seasons two and three, will feature familiar characters in animated form, and introduces Nikki Baxter, a new character voiced by Odessa A’zion, who will serve as “the audience’s eyes” within the narrative.
“Nikki is the audience’s eyes,” explained showrunner Eric Robles in a statement to Netflix’s Tudum. “She comes into this world completely new. She’s got her own issues that she’s been dealing with, and it’s these kids who step into her world in a sense.” Robles added that Nikki “has to figure things out with the kids given that there’s no way that she could just walk away [from what she’s seen] and pretend like it never happened.”
The voice cast as well includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Ben Plessala as Will, Brett Gipson as Hopper, and Jeremy Jordan as Steve, replacing the original live-action actors. Janeane Garofalo and Lou Diamond Phillips also join the cast.
Robles emphasized the creative freedom afforded by animation, stating, “We have been able to capture the magic of Hawkins in a new way, [and] nothing is quite as they thought it was.” He added that the team could “go wild” and create whatever they aim for, given the lack of constraints inherent in live-action production.
The animated series is being produced alongside other expansions of the Stranger Things franchise. A stage play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, debuted in London’s West Finish in 2023 and moved to Broadway in April 2025, with a current run scheduled through March 2026. A live-action spinoff project is also reportedly in development, though details remain scarce.
The original Stranger Things series concluded its five-season run on December 31, 2025, becoming Netflix’s third most-watched show of all time, with over 140 million views, according to the streaming service.
The town of Jackson, Georgia, which served as the filming location for the live-action series, has experienced a revitalization due to the show’s popularity, with local businesses catering to the influx of tourists eager to experience the real-life Hawkins.
