The Upside Down shadow lingers in “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85.
A new chapter in Stranger Things arrives April 23, and it heads straight back to winter in Hawkins. Although the live-action series may have ended, the characters return in “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85,” a new animated mystery. Eric Robles leads the series as showrunner, with Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer serving as executive producers. The official teaser invites fans to travel back to Hawkins for an untold story set in the same universe.
A new mystery between Seasons 2 and 3
“Tales From ’85” takes place between Seasons 2 and 3, in the aftermath of a huge turning point. In the Season 2 finale, Eleven closed the gate at Hawkins Lab. That choice created a big story question for the animated series. If the gate stayed shut, where would the monsters come from?
Rather than dodge that problem, the new series leans into it. The show’s setup hints at threats that may not fit into a single explanation. Something could rise from the Upside Down, from Hawkins Lab, or from somewhere else entirely.
Winter 1985 brings calm, then cracks the ice
The synopsis plants the story in a colder, quieter Hawkins. Snow covers the town, and the worst horrors seem to fade. For a moment, the kids get their normal lives back. They play D&D, start snowball fights, and enjoy calmer days together.
However, the calm does not last. Something terrifying awakens beneath the ice, and the group must act fast. As the mystery spreads, the heroes race to save Hawkins before the danger swallows the town again.
Voice cast brings the familiar faces to animation
The series uses a new voice cast for the animated format. Brooklyn Davey Norstedt voices Eleven, while Jolie Hoang-Rappaport voices Max. Luca Diaz voices Mike, and Elisha “EJ” Williams voices Lucas. Braxton Quinney voices Dustin, and Ben Plessala voices Will. Brett Gipson voices Hopper, and Jeremy Jordan voices Steve. Additional voice cast includes Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips.
Together, the lineup aims to capture the spirit of the original characters, while the animation opens the door for bigger scares and wilder set pieces.
Eric Robles promises real danger and untold adventures
Robles says the series keeps the threat level high, even in animated form.
“We want the audience to feel that these kids are in danger, the stakes are real, and bad things can happen to anyone,” Robles said. “And things do happen that are very scary in a sense, so that really makes the danger for the kids that much more tangible.”
He also described the timeline as a creative sweet spot for storytelling.
“We were able to freeze time and really go on these never before told adventures with them in this timeline.”
“Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” premieres April 23 on Netflix.
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Sean Tajipour
Sean Tajipour is the Founder and Editor of Nerdtropolis and the host of the Moviegoers Society and Reel Insights Podcast. He is also a member of the Critics Choice Association. You can follow on Twitter and Instagram @Seantaj.
