Stranger Things Spinoff Targets Spielberg-Level Adventure, Says Tales from 85 Creator

Stranger Things animated spinoff Tales from ‘85 is set to channel Steven Spielberg’s Jaws, teases showrunner Eric Robles, as Netflix drops a first-look teaser.

Stranger Things is going animated, and the vibe is not Saturday morning cartoons. Think Jaws, but set in Hawkins during a brutal winter whiteout. That is the lane Tales from '85 is driving in, straight from the showrunner who sounds very excited about turning the town into a frozen, monster-prowled bay.

Jaws in the snow

Eric Robles (Glitch Techs) calls the Stranger Things spin-off his riff on Spielberg's shark classic. The show is set in the winter of 1985, with Hawkins buried under relentless snowfall and something nasty moving through it.

'Hawkins is covered in this ocean of snow... I am a huge fan of Jaws, and this became our version.'

He also swears the tone and storytelling line up closely with the flagship series despite the animation shift.

'You could easily take the show and make it the live-action version.'

That tracks with how he frames the concept: a kind of lost season, set when the stakes felt local. Less end-of-the-world, more save-your-own-block.

Where it fits

Tales from '85 takes place between seasons 2 and 3 of the main show. Mike Wheeler, Eleven, and the rest of the gang pick up on a new threat sliding around Hawkins under all that ice and slush. It is familiar faces in a new medium, with a timeline sweet spot fans have wanted filled in for a while.

Who is making it

Matt and Ross Duffer created the spin-off and executive produce alongside Robles, Shawn Levy, and Dan Cohen. That is a lot of continuity from the mothership, which explains the confidence about how well it dovetails with live-action.

Who is voicing who

Heads up: the live-action cast is not voicing their characters here. New actors are stepping in for Mike, Eleven, Hopper, and the rest. The voice lineup includes:

• Brett Gipson
• Luca Diaz
• Brooklyn Davey Norstedt
• Jolie-Hoang Rappaport
• Elisha Williams
• Benjamin Plessala
• Braxton Quinney
• Jeremy Jordan
• Odessa A'zion (role under wraps)
• Janeane Garofalo (role under wraps)
• Lou Diamond Phillips (role under wraps)

Release date and trailers

Netflix first teased the series back in November 2025, then rolled out a full teaser earlier this month. Stranger Things: Tales from '85 premieres April 23, 2026.