Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 Makes Big-Screen Debut With Two Episodes in Theaters
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is headed to the big screen before your couch—the animated series will debut its first two episodes in theaters days ahead of its Netflix launch.
Stranger Things may have closed the book on the main series with a New Year’s Eve finale, but Hawkins is not done with us. There’s a filmed stage-play prequel on deck for Netflix, more spin-offs in development, and an animated series that is getting a little big-screen victory lap before it hits streaming.
What is Tales from '85?
Stranger Things: Tales from '85 drops us back into Hawkins during a hard, snowy winter in 1985, slotted neatly between the season 2 finale on December 15, 1984 and the events of season 3. The gang is trying to enjoy normal life again — D&D, snowball fights, quiet days — until a new paranormal problem starts scratching under the ice. Expect fresh monsters, a mystery that spirals fast, and a new face in the mix: Nikki, a tough, mohawk-wearing wildcard who sounds like trouble in the fun way.
"In the winter of 1985, snow blankets the town and the horrors of the Upside Down are finally fading."
"But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened."
Yes, it is hitting theaters first
AMC Theatres is screening the first two episodes as a limited event on April 18, with a 55-minute total runtime. The full season premieres on Netflix April 23. Check AMC for participating locations if you want the Hawkins-on-the-big-screen experience five days early.
Cast, characters, and who is making it
- Brooklyn Davey Norstedt voices Eleven
- Jolie Hoang-Rappaport voices Max
- Luca Diaz voices Mike
- Elisha 'EJ' Williams voices Lucas
- Braxton Quinney voices Dustin
- Benjamin Plessala voices Will
- Brett Gipson voices Hopper
- Odessa A'zion voices new character Nikki
- Janeane Garofalo and Lou Diamond Phillips voice additional, currently undisclosed roles
- Showrunner: Eric Robles
- Animation: Flying Bark
- Executive producers: the Duffer Brothers through Upside Down Pictures, Hilary Leavitt for Upside Down, and Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen for 21 Laps; Eric Robles also executive produces via Flying Bark Productions
Why this makes sense
Dropping into the winter gap between seasons 2 and 3 lets the show use the full core lineup without breaking continuity, and animation gives them room to go weirder with the monsters. Also, a theatrical peek for a streaming animated spin-off is not standard, which tells you Netflix and AMC think this plays with a crowd. Fair bet.