After nine years, five seasons, and 42 episodes, the Stranger Things franchise will soon switch its main cast of characters. Since its debut in 2016, audiences across the world have fallen in love with Stranger Things' ensemble, watching the kids grow into young adults, the teenagers into proper adults, and the adults into world-weary warriors. The characters have always been one of Stranger Things' greatest strengths, with each of Hawkins' saviors adding their own personality, charm, and skills to the overall group.
As such, it's no surprise that the franchise's first two "spinoffs," the prequel play Stranger Things: The First Shadow and the animated series Stranger Things: Tales From '85, revisit most of the show's original characters. Tales From '85 chronicles the monstrous events in Hawkins in the winter between seasons 2 and 3, while The First Shadow jumps back to the 1950s, exploring younger versions of characters like Joyce and Hopper. Both prequels have been undeniably successful, but they're not the only Stranger Things spinoffs in the works.
Originally announced four years ago in the wake of Stranger Things season 4's premiere, the Duffer Brothers will serve as creators and executive producers on the franchise's first live-action spinoff. The upcoming show will be neither a prequel nor a sequel; instead, it will largely stand on its own within the broader Stranger Things universe, loosely tapping into the remaining mysteries surrounding Vecna, the Mind Flayer, and the Abyss while steering clear of Hawkins and its turbulent history.
During one of many post-Stranger Things finale interviews, the Duffer Brothers confirmed that the spinoff will feature a "completely different mythology" and "no common characters." Of the unexpected change, Matt Duffer shared that it was "very exciting to work with a clean slate: completely new characters, new town, new world, new mythology." What the show will do to fit into the Stranger Things franchise is honor the flagship show's "style of storytelling." As Ross Duffer explained, "There’s going to be connective tissue, but you’re almost anthologizing in a way."
Long story short, this means that Stranger Things season 5 and Stranger Things: Tales From '85 are likely the last opportunities to see the OG Hawkins gang in action. While more than enough characters survived Stranger Things' finale to continue their stories at some point in the future, the Duffer Brothers are right. It's time to let them rest. They've done their part to save the world, and now it's someone else's turn.
Anthologizing Stranger Things is the best move for the franchise. The flagship show's story is so specifically tied to Hawkins' history and the characters involved. Dr. Brenner's connection to Henry/001/Vecna, his later experiments with Eleven, her role in opening up the rift between Hawkins, the Upside Down, and the Abyss, Hawkins Lab, it's all part of one singular narrative. Trying to expand that story and bring these same characters into a new conspiracy would dilute the show's impact and make everything overly complicated.
Audiences fell for Stranger Things in season 1 when it seemed like a simpler "kids versus monsters" story, anchored by incredibly relatable and fun new characters. Naturally, the narrative grew as the Mind Flayer infiltrated Hawkins, turning the Stranger Things saga into an apocalyptic event instead. Given the reaction to Stranger Things' epic, feature-length series finale, this shift didn't work for everyone. The characters were sidelined in favor of action and extradimensional spectacle. That was understandable — how else were they ever going to wrap up the show's plots in a somewhat satisfying manner? — but a return to smaller, character-driven storytelling might be just what this franchise needs.
New characters, a new town, and a new supernatural threat can help the series recapture the magic of those early seasons. This mysterious spinoff could be Stranger Things for a new generation, with just enough "connective tissue" to hook the original show's global fanbase. The Duffers don't want Stranger Things to be like Star Wars, and it doesn't have to be. Not everything needs to be a sequel, and new storytelling should be celebrated, even when it's produced under the banner of such an influential pop culture brand.
Stranger Things' original characters will be missed, but who knows? The spinoff's new ensemble could become just as iconic.
