Netflix’s New ‘Stranger Things’ Prequel Won’t Be on Netflix

Netflix is producing a prequel to Stranger Things, but it’s not going to be a movie or a series you can watch on Netflix. It’s going to be a stage play.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is based on an original story by series creators the Duffer brothers along with Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry; Trefry is credited as the writer with Stephen Daldry (whose film credits include Billy Elliot and The Reader) and Justin Martin slated to co-direct. The Duffer brothers will serve as creative producers with Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions co-producing.

The creatives have confirmed that the play will be canon, in contrast to the spinoff books that were previously published and de-canonized by season 4.

This article has been updated with ticket and premiere information.

Where is Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiering?

The play will be premiering at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on November 17, 2023.

There’s no news yet as to if or when the show will be making its way across the pond for Broadway or touring the U.S.

What is the Stranger Things prequel about?

The plot given thus far is as follows:

“Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.”

Stranger Things: The First Shadow | Phoenix Theatre, London (strangerthingsonstage.com)

Basically, it sounds like a teen drama that may or may not lead into the events of the next season by showing if/how Hopper and Joyce knew Henry Creel personally. Though Henry was at least five years younger than Joyce and Hopper, so it’s hard to say what their dynamic will be like.

When is Stranger Things: The First Shadow premiering?

Previously, we weren’t sure when the play would premiere, but November 6, 2023, a.k.a. Stranger Things Day—the day that Will Byers was reported missing—seemed like a likely candidate. November 6 was also the launch date of events like the Stranger Things Experience in New York and Los Angeles.

Sign-up for priority tickets opened on March 21 and closes on March 26. Pre-sale will start on March 28 at 12 p.m. UK time. General sale will open on March 30 at 12 p.m. UK time. For more information, click here.

Will the Stranger Things prequel stream on Netflix?

We don’t yet know if or when Netflix will be producing a pro-shot of the play, but I imagine they have plans for that eventually, considering the success of Hamilton: An American Musical on Disney+.

(featured image: Netflix)

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