Netflix has already returned to the world of Stranger Things in 2026, releasing a new batch of episodes just months after the original series came to an end.
The streamer expanded the franchise with Stranger Things: Tales from '85 , an animated spinoff that premiered on April 23 with all 10 episodes released at once. Set between seasons two and three of the original show, the series revisits Hawkins during the winter of 1985 and follows familiar characters including Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Max and Will.
What are the new Stranger Things episodes?
Unlike the later seasons of Stranger Things , which featured a larger cast and increasingly darker storylines, Tales from '85 centres on the original group of friends as they investigate a fresh supernatural threat in Hawkins.
The animated series also introduces newcomer Nikki Baxter while revisiting a period in the timeline that many fans associate with the show's early years.
Why Netflix is expanding the franchise
The release of Tales from '85 signals that Netflix is continuing to build on the Stranger Things universe after the conclusion of the flagship series.
Rather than picking up directly after the finale, the streamer has chosen to explore stories set within the existing timeline, allowing familiar characters to return in new adventures. The animated format also gives the franchise room to revisit earlier chapters of Hawkins' story.
What's next for Stranger Things?
Netflix has already renewed Stranger Things: Tales from '85 for a second season, less than a week after the show's debut. The renewal confirms that the streamer sees the animated series as an important part of the franchise's future.
For fans wondering whether the end of Stranger Things meant the end of Hawkins, the 2026 episodes have already provided the answer.
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