As Stranger Things prepares to wrap its flagship series with Season 5 this holiday season, Netflix is expanding the world of Hawkins in a bold new direction.Announced in April, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is an animated series that places Eleven and the gang between Season 2 and Season 3.Following the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is a prequel to the series, this marks the second official spinoff in the franchise and the first in animated form.Check out the poster for the show per Stranger Things News on X below:“Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” will premiere in 2026“Stranger Things: Tales From ’85” will premiere in 2026 pic.twitter.com/hqyh37sy5o— Stranger Things News (@UpsideDownScoop) June 11, 2025Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 — PlotHow Does It Fit in With the Main Series?Set in 1985 during a frozen winter in Hawkins, the series follows the six core characters—Eleven, Mike Wheeler, Will Byers, Lucas Sinclair, Dustin Henderson, and Max Mayfield—as they face a terrifying new threat from the Upside Down.The logline from Netflix reads: “Welcome back to Hawkins in the stark winter of 1985, where the original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, an epic new animated series.”The show will introduce a new character, Nikki, described as tech-savvy and skeptical, who becomes an integral part of the group. The storyline takes place squarely between Stranger Things Seasons 2 and 3, revisiting key locations like Hawkins Lab and Hopper’s cabin.Credit: NetflixRelated: ‘Stranger Things’ May Have Revealed Season 5’s MonsterStyle and InfluencesThe Saturday Morning Cartoon Is Being Turned “Upside Down”Produced by Flying Bark Productions, the animation for the upcoming series will blend 2D and 3D and lean heavily into ’80s Saturday morning nostalgia.Per Deadline, according to showrunner Eric Robles, the animated series The Real Ghostbusters (1986 – 1991) was a major influence and in setting the show’s tone and visual design.“It all went back to The Real Ghostbusters,” he said. “It was silly but had a handful of dark, creepy episodes and we just kept talking about that. That became the north star for us.”A preview held at Annecy in June featured animatics, character design, and scary creatures including “Upside Down pumpkin zombies and a snow shark”, and some animation.Credit: NetflixRelated: Stranger Things’ May Have Revealed Max’s Fate in Season 5Goodbye, Millie Bobby BrownA Brand-New Voice CastThe main young cast—Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, and Sadie Sink—are not expected to reprise their roles as Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will, and Max, respectively.Instead, new voice actors will bring the animated versions of their characters to life.But despite changes to both the format and to the casting lineup, Tales From ’85 is canon. Like The First Shadow, it fits into the core timeline. And though it may not tie directly into Season 5, its placement between Seasons 2 and 3 offers plenty of space for unexplored lore.Credit: NetflixRelated: ‘Stranger Things’ Has Revealed 3 Characters Likely to Die in Season 5Season 5 and Tales From ’85 Release WindowsWhen and Where Can I Watch Them?The animated series is set to debut exclusively on Netflix sometime in 2026.For fans looking to revisit the show’s roots—before Russia, before Vecna, and before the end—Tales From ’85 will offer a detour with the kids who started it all.Credit: NetflixStranger Things Season 5 TrailerThe First Look at the Beginning of the EndOn July 16, Netflix released the first official trailer for Stranger Things Season 5, giving fans their long-awaited glimpse at the beginning of the end.The footage doesn’t give much away—but it’s clear the tone is darker, the stakes higher, and the world of Hawkins more fragile than ever.Now split into three parts, the final season will begin with Volume 1 on November 26, 2025, with Volume 2 arriving Christmas Day, and the finale landing December 31.Credit: NetflixMillie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, and Caleb McLaughlin, among many others, are all back in Hawkins to make one last stand against the dark wizard Vecna/One (Jamie Campbell Bower) and the Upside Down.While the show’s earlier seasons leaned into coming-of-age moments and small-town tension, the new trailer suggests something closer to apocalyptic horror. Watch it below:Where Can I Watch Seasons 1–4?Stranger Things seasons 1 — 4 are now streaming on Netflix.Stranger Things also stars Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Bob Newby (Sean Astin), Joseph Quinn (Eddie Munson), Paul Reiser (Dr. Sam Owens), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Matthew Modine (Papa/Martin Brenner), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), and Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/One/Henry Creel).Stranger Things: The First ShadowRequired Viewing for Season 5If you’re planning to catch up on all things Hawkins and Upside Down before Season 5 premieres later this year, the stage production Stranger Things: The First Shadow is highly recommended. It’s currently playing in London’s West End and on Broadway in New York.Acting as a prequel, The First Shadow takes place in 1959, following young versions of Joyce (then Maldonado), Jim Hopper, Bob Newby, Henry Creel, and Papa/Dr. Martin Brenner.Are you excited about Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 and Stranger Things Season 5? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!The post Everything We Know About the ‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ Animated Spinoff appeared first on Inside the Magic.