Hawkins Gets a New Look: Netflix Reveals ‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’

The world of Stranger Things is growing again. Netflix has officially revealed the title of a brand-new animated spin-off series: Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. This new show is set in the same universe as the popular original series and brings fans back to the spooky world of Hawkins, Indiana, but in a new animated style.

The new show was first announced back in April 2023, and now, two years later, it finally has a title. The creators of Stranger Things, Matt and Ross Duffer, are working on this animated project through their company, Upside Down Pictures.

They’re joined by Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen from 21 Laps Entertainment, who also worked on the original series.

The Duffer Brothers shared their excitement when the project was first announced:

“We’ve always dreamed of an animated Stranger Things in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling. We couldn’t be more blown away by what Eric Robles and his team have come up with — the scripts and artwork are incredible, and we can’t wait to share more with you! The adventure continues…”

Netflix has already ordered two seasons of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85. The project had a secret name before the title was revealed — it was being called PROJECT MIRKWOOD, which fans might recognize as the nickname of a road in Hawkins near the Hawkins National Lab.

Although the creators haven’t shared much about the story yet, they’ve said this new show will feel very different. On the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Matt Duffer said: “The spin-off would be ‘1,000% different’ from the original and added it’d be a ‘story that connects to the Stranger Things world, but it really is more about how we’re telling that story.’”

So while it takes place in the Stranger Things universe, don’t expect it to follow the same style or characters exactly.

This animated spin-off is just one of many Stranger Things projects in the works. Ever since Netflix renewed the series for a fifth and final season in 2022, fans have been curious about spin-offs — including a rumored series focused on Eleven.

It’s not clear yet if the new animated Stranger Things series is the same one that was first talked about back in 2022. That older project was called an anime, but no plot details were shared at the time, so people aren’t sure if it’s the same show or a different one.

Back then, there was a report saying the story would be about twin brothers who love video games and live near Tokyo in the 1980s. They have a big adventure after coming across the Upside Down. The show was said to be six hours long.

For now, fans can look forward to Tales From ’85, which will bring a fresh, animated take on the dark, exciting world of Hawkins.

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