With Stranger Things now officially wrapped after five seasons, fans are wondering when and where they’ll return to Hawkins and see their favorite characters again.
The bad news is that the hit Netflix series really is over. It was confirmed long before the fifth premiered that it would be the last. While anything is possible, audiences won’t be seeing the likes of Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), and Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers) battling creatures from the Upside Down again.
Credit: Netflix
New Stranger Things Spinoffs
A new live-action series is in development, however, the Duffer brothers have confirmed that it won’t have any “common characters” with the flagship series. Instead, it will focus on the mysterious briefcase rock revealed in the Season 5 finale “The Rightside Up”.
The good news is that there’s another spinoff in the works, and it’s set to arrive a lot sooner than the live-action one. While neither has a release date, the 3D animated series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is confirmed to be premiering sometime later this year.
Watch the official announcement teaser below:
Related: Official ‘Stranger Things’ Countdown Has Days Left, but What’s Coming?
First announced in April 2025, Tales From ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, between seasons 2 and 3. While the series will introduce at least one new character (Nikki Baxter), its biggest draw is the return of the original Hawkins gang—Eleven, Will Byers, Mike Wheeler, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, and given its position on the timeline, Max Mayfield.
But the main cast won’t be returning, meaning the characters will be voiced by new actors. So here’s a breakdown of every returning character, along with their animated voice actor.
Jim Hopper — Brett Gipson
Credit: Flying Bark Productions / Upside Down Pictures / 21 Laps Entertainment / Netflix
Originally portrayed by David Harbour, Jim Hopper will return in animated form with Brett Gipson taking over vocal duties. While we don’t see the new Hopper in action in the Tales From ’85 announcement teaser released last year, he does appear in some concept art.
Mike Wheeler — Luca Diaz
Credit: Flying Bark Productions / Upside Down Pictures / 21 Laps Entertainment / Netflix
Finn Wolfhard’s Mike Wheeler will be voiced by Luca Diaz in the upcoming animated series.
Eleven / Jane Hopper — Brooklyn Davey Norstedt
Credit: Flying Bark Productions / Upside Down Pictures / 21 Laps Entertainment / Netflix
Millie Bobby Brown’s Eleven/Jane Hopper will be voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt in Tales From ’85.
Dustin Henderson — Braxton Quinney
Credit: Flying Bark Productions / Upside Down Pictures / 21 Laps Entertainment / Netflix
Dustin Henderson will be voiced by Braxton Quinney, who will be taking over from Gaten Matarazzo in the main live-action series.
Lucas Sinclair — Elisha Williams
Credit: Flying Bark Productions / Upside Down Pictures / 21 Laps Entertainment / Netflix
Caleb McLaughlin’s Lucas Sinclair will be voiced by Elisha Williams.
Will Byers — Ben Plessala
Credit: Flying Bark Productions / Upside Down Pictures / 21 Laps Entertainment / Netflix
Ben Plessala will be stepping in as Will Byers, who was played by Noah Schnapp.
Max Mayfield — Jolie Hoang-Rappaport
Credit: Netflix
Sadie Sink steps aside as Jolie Hoang-Rappaport takes on the role of Max Mayfield.
Nancy Wheeler — Actor Unknown
Credit: Netflix
Nancy Wheeler also appears in the Tales From ’85 teaser; however, no actor is attached. Natalia Dyer isn’t returning, but she may be voiced by one of two female actors who have been cast in undisclosed roles: Odessa A’zion and Janeane Garofalo.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is executive produced by Matt and Ross Duffer, Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Hilary Leavitt, and showrunner Eric Robles, with animation by Flying Bark Productions. Netflix hasn’t announced a release date yet.
Here’s hoping the upcoming spinoff will remedy the disappointment many fans have been left with following Season 5, and in particular, the final episode.
“The Rightside Up” was so divisive that several fans felt compelled to launch an online petition demanding an “extended cut” from Netflix; while a theory claiming that the ending was “fake” and that a “secret episode” would premiere on the streamer went viral online.
Credit: Netflix
Watch Stranger Things Seasons 1 — 5 Now
Stranger Things seasons 1 — 5 are streaming on Netflix.
Stranger Things Season 5 stars Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry Creel), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), and Linda Hamilton (Dr. Kay).
Are you excited about Stranger Things: Tales From ’85? Let us know in the comments!
