'Stranger Things: Tales from '85' renewed for Season 2 on Netflix after fast turnaround
'Stranger Things' universe remains a hot property on Netflix, despite the flagship series having bowed out in 2025. The streamer, in a bid to keep one of its most lucrative projects alive even after its ending, ordered an animated spin-off titled 'Stranger Things: Tales From '85.' Their call proved to be correct as the fandom flooded Netflix to get a fix of their favorite nerds from Hawkins. As per Netflix, the animated series debuted at Number 7 in the Top 10 rankings. The viewership firmly put the series in the top 15 animated series debuts of all time on the streaming site. The animated show appears to have bolstered the flagship show's viewership as well, reaching 1.5 billion cumulative views. Just six days after the premiere, Netflix renewed the animated series, owing to the show's strong performance.
This season will apparently focus on a completely different monster. “Working on Season 1 has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Now that it’s out in the world, seeing fans connect with these characters—whether they’ve loved them for years or are just meeting them for the first time—has been truly special. I’m excited to continue the journey,” showrunner Eric Robles shared. “We’re thrilled to return to the winter of ’85 for Season 2. The Hawkins Investigators Club is back, and a new paranormal threat has emerged from the town’s abandoned silver mines. I can’t wait for fans to discover where this entity and the mysterious blue flower we last saw blooming in the Upside Down at the end of Season 1 take our young heroes,” he added.
Robles clarified that even though the villain will be different, it will be linked to the Season 1 monsters. The showrunner claimed that the sophomore mysteries are “not isolated. They’re very much connected [to each other]”. However, a release date has not been provided, but the streaming site shared that new episodes will arrive sometime in the fall. Season 2 is expected to feature the return of Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Mike (Luca Diaz), Will (Benjamin Plessala), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Lucas (Elisha 'EJ' Williams), and Max (In Your Dreams’ Jolie Hoang-Rappaport).
Season 1 focused on the Hawkins crew facing an array of fearsome creatures in their beloved town. The show takes place between 'Stranger Things' Season 2 (late 1984) and Season 3 (summer 1985). These dangerous creatures included a variety of creatures, from a vicious snow shark to a group of sinister pumpkin monsters dubbed the “Gourd Horde.” The group eventually figured out, to their shock, that the creatures are somewhat connected to Upside Down. In their pursuit, the gang is joined by their new friend Nikki (voiced by Odessa A’zion) and gets help from Nikki’s mom, a passionate biology teacher, Mrs. Baxter (Janeane Garofalo).
The spin-off premiered on April 23, dropping all ten episodes at once on Netflix. Robles of 'Glitch Techs' fame serves as the showrunner for the new series, while the Duffer Brothers are on board as executive producers. “It’s got the thrill of being young, being a kid, and going on these thrilling adventures. But then there’s this essence of real danger, real stakes,” Robles, who also produces the project via Flying Bark Productions, shared about the show. “This is one of the rarest opportunities that we’re ever going to get to be with the main characters. We get to go back in time and really just hang out with these kids,” he added.
