Netflix officially greenlit a live-action prequel series set in the Stranger Things universe on November 6, 2026, coinciding with the streamer's annual Stranger Things Day celebration. Titled Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure, the newly ordered drama is scheduled to premiere in 2028, according to Netflix Tudum. Co-created by original series creators Matt and Ross Duffer alongside veteran franchise writer Kate Trefry, the project shifts the storyline back to the 1950s, moving away from Hawkins, Indiana, to introduce a new ensemble and mythology.

A New 1950s Era and Setting Outside Hawkins

For viewers wondering which characters and time period the offshoot will cover, the series is moving further back in the timeline than any previous installment.

According to Netflix's official announcement, the show takes place in the 1950s, decades before the original 1980s-set flagship series and prior to the 1959 Hawkins events depicted in the Tony Award-winning stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

While Netflix's initial press release describes the 1950s backdrop broadly, an accompanying teaser trailer provides more granular context, prompting slightly varied descriptions across entertainment outlets. According to Deadline and Esquire, the teaser pinpoints the exact date and location as April 19, 1955, in Marion, Nevada. Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly spells the town as "Marian, Nev.," and People refers to the setting as Marion, New Mexico—likely conflating the fictionalized Nevada story setting with the show's actual filming location, as Netflix confirmed physical production will take place in New Mexico.

The teaser footage shows an abandoned bicycle near a restricted zone at night, with distant town lights and an ominous, wormhole-like disturbance forming in the sky while the song "Sh-Boom" by The Chords plays.

Creative Team and Production Details

Kate Trefry, who wrote on the original television series and penned the script for The First Shadow from a story by herself, the Duffer Brothers, and Jack Thorne, will serve as showrunner, co-creator, and writer for Other Worlds. BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning filmmaker Joe Wright (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, Darkest Hour) is attached to direct the first three episodes and serve as an executive producer.

"We’ve been dreaming of Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure for many years now, and to see it become a reality is surreal and exhilarating," Matt and Ross Duffer said in a statement. "It’s Stranger Things, but also thrillingly fresh, with a new setting, new heroes and villains, and new … actually, we’re not allowed to say any more. Now, on to casting. In the meantime — watch the skies, nerds!"

Trefry echoed the enthusiasm regarding the shift in narrative focus.

"The Duffer Brothers gave me my first paying job in Hollywood, and it has been a joy and a fever dream ever since," Trefry stated. "With the support of Netflix and 21 Laps, we have had the time of our lives returning to all the horror, wonder and mystery of the flagship, while also telling a wholly new story, one we hope will blow your minds and break your hearts all over again."

Additional executive producers include Matt and Ross Duffer through Upside Down Pictures, Shawn Levy via his 21 Laps banner, Paul Dichter, Shelley Meals, Andrea Sperling, and Pavlina Hatoupis. Since its 2016 debut, the flagship series has generated more than 1.2 billion views across its first four seasons, with Seasons 4 and 5 ranking among Netflix's most-watched television seasons of all time.

Characters and Potential Franchise Connections

The creative team is emphasizing that the upcoming project is built around a completely new cast of characters rather than the familiar Hawkins residents. Executive producer Shawn Levy noted that the show crafts "a new ensemble and adventure that is imbued with the DNA of our flagship series while exploring a new era, setting, and all-new characters, themes, and mythology."

Despite the focus on an original ensemble, industry reporting points to underlying connective tissue between the Nevada setting and established franchise lore. While Netflix emphasizes all-new characters and has not confirmed the appearance of any existing figures, Deadline reports that the prequel is set just a couple of years before the Nevada experiment featured in The First Shadow. In a previous interview cited by Deadline, Matt Duffer noted that the spinoff will address remaining loose threads from the flagship show, specifically explaining a mysterious rock inside a scientist's briefcase that young Henry Creel discovers in Nevada caves—an element introduced on stage and later featured in Season 5 of Stranger Things.

The teaser's musical cue, "Sh-Boom," also ties back to Henry Creel; the track was featured in Season 5, Episode 4 when Max visited Henry's memories at Hawkins High.

Furthermore, while the stage play originally referenced Rachel, Lincoln County, Nevada, Deadline notes that when Netflix filmed multiple performances of The First Shadow in February for an upcoming television release, an attendee observed that the dialogue had been updated to reference Marion, Nevada, aligning the recorded stage production with the new prequel series.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who are the new characters, and will any familiar Stranger Things characters appear?

No cast members or specific character names have been announced yet. Netflix and the producers state that the series will feature an all-new ensemble of heroes and villains, and no official source has confirmed that young Henry Creel or any other established character will appear onscreen.

Will the series explain the Nevada clues involving young Henry Creel, or remain a standalone story?

The project is designed to function as a fresh story with new characters, but it shares direct lore connections with the broader franchise. While Netflix highlights a new mythology, Matt Duffer previously stated that the spinoff will resolve loose threads regarding the artifact found in a scientist's briefcase in the Nevada caves.

When in 2028 will the series premiere, and when will casting be revealed?

Netflix has only confirmed a broad 2028 release window for Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure. An exact premiere date has not been set, though the Duffer Brothers noted in their announcement that the production is moving into the casting phase now.

Sources