Netflix has unveiled the first teaser for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, giving audiences a chilling glimpse at the animated expansion of the Stranger Things universe — and the new monsters threatening Hawkins.
Set to premiere April 23, 2026, the series picks up in the winter of 1985. Snow blankets Hawkins, the gate to the Upside Down is closed, and life appears to have returned to normal for Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max.
But as the teaser makes clear — something survived.
“Something from the Upside Down must have survived last year,” Dustin warns in the footage, as eerie, hybrid creatures stalk the frozen woods. According to showrunner Eric Robles, the new threats are unlike anything fans have seen before.
“It’s like Hawkins Lab science meets Upside Down matter,” Robles shared. “When you put them together, those are the kinds of creatures we have in our world.”
That fusion hints at a more dangerous evolution — not just remnants of the Upside Down, but something possibly engineered.The official synopsis teases the central mystery:
“But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened. Could it be from the Upside Down? From the depths of Hawkins Lab? Or from somewhere else entirely? Our heroes must race to solve this mystery and save Hawkins in this new story set in the Stranger Things universe.”
The animated series features a returning lineup of beloved characters, voiced by Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Ben Plessala as Will, Brett Gipson as Hopper, and Jeremy Jordan as Steve. Additional voice cast includes Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips.
Tales From ’85 is executive produced by Stranger Things creators Matt Duffer and Ross Duffer, alongside Hilary Leavitt via Upside Down Pictures, Shawn Levy via 21 Laps, and Dan Cohen. Robles serves as showrunner and executive producer, with animation by Flying Bark.
As the flagship series moves toward its final chapter, this animated installment proves the world of Hawkins still has secrets buried beneath the surface.
And this time, they’re waking up under the ice.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 premieres April 23, 2026, exclusively on Netflix.
