Netflix has announced a live-action prequel spinoff of Stranger Things titled Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure, set in the 1950s and expected to debut in 2028.
Netflix describes the new series as a prequel set before both Stranger Things and the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
The announcement comes after Stranger Things wrapped its final season last year. Netflix has been looking for ways to keep the franchise alive, including an animated spinoff called Tales From '85, but the live-action series appears to show a much bigger effort to expand the franchise.
Franchise creators the Duffer brothers are returning, with Stranger Things veteran Kate Trefry serving as showrunner. British director Joe Wright is set to helm the first three episodes.
In a statement, the Duffers described the series as “Stranger Things, but also thrillingly fresh, with a new setting, new heroes and villains, and new… actually, we’re not allowed to say any more. Now, on to casting.”
There aren’t a lot of details about the series.
Analysis
Why this matters
- Expands the Stranger Things universe beyond the original show and stage play, offering fans a new entry point.
- Signals Netflix’s strategy to extend the life of its flagship intellectual property through spinoffs.
- Brings new creative leadership while retaining the Duffer brothers, potentially shaping the tone of the franchise going forward.
Background
Stranger Things, Netflix’s sci-fi horror series set in the 1980s, became one of the most popular shows on the platform. It concluded its final season last year, after which the streamer began developing additional projects in the same universe, including an animated spinoff. The new live-action series moves the timeline to the 1950s, before the events of the original.
What to watch
- Casting announcements for the 1950s characters.
- Whether the show connects directly to the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
- Potential release date updates as production gets underway.