Eleven’s Stranger Things Return Date & Lore-Changing New Character Officially Revealed In Netflix’s Tales From ’85 Trailer

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Following some surprising events in the main Stranger Things series, Eleven and the original characters are returning in Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 this year. The new installment also introduces a fresh character who will be helping to unravel the mysteries of the Upside Down in Hawkins.

Even though the main story of Stranger Things ended in December, the characters are coming back this spring in Tales from ’85. This animated spinoff fills in the story between seasons 2 and 3, showing Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max tackling new, spooky mysteries. However, a completely new group of actors will be providing the voices for these familiar characters.

Netflix announced that the animated spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, will debut on April 23, 2026. This will continue the popularity of the Stranger Things universe after a successful late 2025 for the streaming service. After sharing a few preview images, Netflix has now released a new trailer revealing the voice cast and exciting action from the show.

The new season promises fun moments for the group, like snowball fights and arcade trips, and even some romantic dates. But Hawkins is still in danger! The trailer shows exciting scenes of new, scary monsters—likely coming from the Upside Down and the lab—that threaten the town. Once again, it’s up to these teenagers to protect their loved ones and save the day from these terrifying creatures.

The trailer and early images for Tales from ’85 give fans a clearer look at a new character who expands the story of Stranger Things. We learn that Nikki, a teenager with pink hair and special abilities, assisted the main group in fighting monsters between seasons two and three.

Since Nikki wasn’t featured in seasons 3, 4, or 5 of Stranger Things, it’s unclear how Tales from ’85 will address her missing presence during the show’s final events and the fight against the Upside Down.

Along with the trailer for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, we now know who will be voicing the beloved characters. The new voice cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Benjamin Plessala as Will, Brett Gipson as Hopper, and Jeremy Jordan as Steve. These actors are taking over the roles from the live-action cast of Netflix’s Stranger Things.

The voice cast for the upcoming animated series includes Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips, though their characters haven’t been revealed yet. The Duffer Brothers, creators of Stranger Things, are back as executive producers. Eric Robles is the showrunner and has hinted to Tudum that the animated series will feature new threats for the young characters and will be distinct from the live-action Stranger Things.

This new series lets us explore the characters’ lives more deeply than we could in the original show. We can really focus on their experiences and see them go on adventures that never happened before, almost as if time stands still.

We want viewers to genuinely feel the children are at risk, that there are real consequences, and that anyone could find themselves in a difficult situation. The story includes genuinely frightening moments, which makes the danger the children face feel much more real and immediate.

The new story introduces threats never before seen on the show, like a monster made from a pumpkin, a huge ball-shaped creature, and beings similar to the Demogorgon, all endangering Hawkins. Although Hopper appears in the spin-off, the previews suggest the main mystery of Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will center around Eleven, Mike, Will, Max, Lucas, Dustin, Steve, and Nikki.

The new animated series launching in April is a major moment for the franchise, representing its first-ever spinoff on Netflix. While the story has already been expanded with the Stranger Things: The First Shadow play on Broadway, Tales from ’85 is the first dedicated spinoff series created for Netflix viewers.

The Duffer Brothers are developing another Stranger Things spinoff following Tales from ’85. Unlike that project, this one will feature a completely new story, separate from the original characters, location, and time period. It will, however, reveal the origins of young Henry Creel’s powers by explaining the strange rock he discovered.

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2026-02-02 17:09