The "Stranger Things" series finale has been and gone, meaning one of the most talked-about Netflix originals is over, right? Well, not quite. Sure, Eleven's defeated Vecna, and we've quite literally closed the book on Mike, Will, Lucas, and Dustin's Dungeons & Dragons campaign, but the franchise will live on in some way.
If you're not quite ready to truly say goodbye to the Duffer Brothers' beloved sci-fi series, you're in luck: We won't be fully leaving the world of "Stranger Things" just yet, as we know there are two "Stranger Things" spinoffs in development right now. At the time of writing, we know at least a little bit of info about the two forthcoming series. The first is the animated series "Tales From '85," and the latter is a live-action spinoff which the series creators say is at a "very early" stage of production.
'Stranger Things: Tales From '85'
The first show we know about is "Stranger Things: Tales From '85," an animated series that is set between seasons 2 and 3 of the original show.
"Tales From '85" takes place during a freezing winter in Hawkins, Indiana, and sees the original characters (not voiced by the original cast) heading on an "epic journey" (as Tudum puts it) wherein the original gang confronts a new mystery plaguing the town.
"The original characters must fight new monsters and unravel a paranormal mystery terrorizing their town in "Stranger Things: Tales From '85"," the logline reads. The series will be showrun by Eric Robles, and has been much-hyped by Robles, the Duffers and everyone involved, as you can see in the above trailer.
In addition to Eleven (voiced by Brooklyn Davey Norstedt), Max (Jolie Hoang-Rappaport), Mike (Luca Diaz), Lucas (Elisha "EJ" Williams), Dustin (Braxton Quinney), Will (Benjamin Plessala), and Hopper (Brett Gipson), the series cast also includes Odessa A'zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamon Phillips (whose roles haven't been disclosed just yet).
"Stranger Things: Tales From '85" is due to stream at some point in 2026. Expect more info about the series in due course.
Untitled live-action 'Stranger Things' spinoff
The other spinoff we know comparatively little about is the untitled live-action series that the Duffer Brothers have teased during the press tour for Season 5.
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published alongside Volume 2, Ross Duffer confirmed the pair were "very early days on a live-action spinoff" — but don't expect to be reunited with Eleven, Will, or any of the Hawkins gang.
Why? The Ross said as much: "This is the end of the story for these characters of Hawkins, for the Upside Down." Instead, this new spinoff will be set in a different decade and focus on a new cast, but will remain connected to the "Stranger Things" universe.
Once again, the brothers won't be showrunning this series, but they will be "heavily involved," and Ross added that they hope "it's something announced soon-ish."
This is all in keeping with what Matt told Variety about the "Stranger Things" live-action spinoff back in October 2025: that the show will be in keeping with the original show's vibe: "kids, adventures, sci-fi/fantasy, rather than increasingly expand[ing] what could become an insanely convoluted mythology," Matt said.
However, the finale has in fact contained a clue to what the spinoff's about: that strange rock Henry Creel got from the scientist's briefcase. Pressed on the subject in a Jan. 1 interview with Variety, Matt confirmed the rock was "spinoffy."
"I do want to explain, just because people’s expectations go in certain directions: The spinoff is going to delve into that and explain that, and you’re going to understand it," Matt said. "But it’s a completely different mythology. So it’s not a deep exploration of the Mind Flayer or anything like that. It’s very fresh and very new, but yes, it will answer some of the loose threads that are remaining."
Now that "Stranger Things" season 5 is in the rearview, hopefully, the brothers will have more time to work on this mystery spinoff, and we'll get a clearer picture of what this new show looks like soon.
In the meantime, if the "Stranger Things" finale has left you between shows, be sure to check out our definitive round-up of the best shows on Netflix for tons more streaming suggestions perfect for filling that void.
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