Every ‘Stranger Things’ Spin-off in Development

Stranger Things is finally over, and nothing would have been stranger than a choice not to make a spin-off. Every hit show gets successors nowadays, and the Netflix gem is set to expand into a larger family. Two spin-offs are confirmed to be in development, with a third rumored to be in the works. Will they be as brilliant as the original series? We’ll see.

Few offshoots tend to match the parent show in quality, so the underperformance of the upcoming shows won’t be the strangest thing. 256 award nominations, 81 wins, and an average of 90% per season on Rotten Tomatoes? Such numbers are hard to beat. It’s like becoming a basketball player when your father is LeBron James. Still, nothing is impossible. Fans will be hoping that each of the new projects becomes Better Call Saul, not Suits: LA. Hopefully, the franchise won’t be milked dry either.

Here’s every Stranger Things spin-off to watch out for.

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‘Stranger Things: Tales from ’85’

Unconfirmed 2026 release date

Netflix

If you were too attached to the original characters and are sad about seeing them, you need to wipe your tears and do a Vincent Vega dance. In November 2025, Netflix unveiled a first look at Stranger Things: Tales from ’85, an animated show set in Hawkins, Indiana in winter 1985 (between Season 2 and Season 3 of the parent show). The new series will depict the kids – Eleven, Mike, Lucas, Will, Dustin, and Max – as they face off against new monsters of the Upside Down, and solve a new paranormal mystery in their town.

However, the series appears to be targeted towards children rather than adults. So, expect little to no horror elements. Speaking to Culture Slate, the Duffer brothers stated Tales from ’85 intends to capture the feel of an ’80s Saturday-morning cartoon. On the brighter side, the main characters won’t age. Fans who preferred early seasons of the parent show, when the kids were naïve and curious, will have a blast.

Eric Robles, better known for the Nickelodeon show Fanboy & Chum Chum, will be steering the animated series, with the Duffer brothers serving as executive producers. Robles has cited 1980s hit cartoons like He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, Scooby-Doo, and The Real Ghostbusters as major influences. Expect stunning creature designs, too. Per Animation Magazine, prominent creature designer Carlos Huante, known for Prometheus and E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, was involved in creating the show’s monsters.

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Untitled Live-Action Spin-off

Unconfirmed Release Date

Vecna and Holly in front of the Creel house on Stranger Things.

If you love everything about Stranger Things but have grown tired of Hawkins and the usual gang, there’s an upcoming live-action show for you. The Duffer brothers confirmed to The Hollywood Reporter that the new spin-off will be set in a different decade and feature different characters, but will still be connected to the main universe. “It’s an idea we’ve had for years and something we’re just really excited and passionate about,” Ross Duffer said.

Not much is known about the structure and tone, but actor Finn Wolfhard shed some light on August 5, 2025, via a Variety article, explaining that the planned spin-off was similar to David Lynch’s Twin Peaks and that it was “sort of an anthology” with events occurring in different places, but all linked through the mythology of the Upside Down. Where else could the labs be? Europe? Asia? Matt Duffer confirmed this, saying, “You’re starting with new characters. It’s like a clean slate. You’re not tied up in any knots.”

This project could be the kind of spin-off you can enjoy if you’ve never watched the original show. Unfortunately, the Duffer brothers won’t be fully involved in all production aspects. Even though they have heavy creative input, they’ll leave the bulk of the job to other people because they have a new deal to develop projects for Paramount. Will it feel the same? We have to wait and see. The brothers further teased that the spin-off could be linked to the rock Henry Creel found in the briefcase in the finale. Asked what the deal with the rock was, Matt Duffer simply said, “spin-off-y.”

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‘Stranger Things: Tokyo’

Rumored

In 2022, Discussing Film reported that a Stranger Things anime spin-off was in development. According to the reputable film news account on X, the series, titled Stranger Things: Tokyo, would follow two gamer twin brothers from the outskirts of 1980s Tokyo whose lives change for the worse after they encounter the Upside Down.

The existence of this alleged series was never officially acknowledged or denied by Netflix or the Duffer brothers. There have also been no recent updates about it. This could mean that the spin-off was either shelved or redeveloped to fit into the plots of either the confirmed animated series or the live-action show (which features labs from around the world).

It would be great if the spin-off happened since Stranger Things is extremely popular in Japan. For example, the “One Last Adventure in Tokyo” event saw the Duffer brothers and a few key cast members visit Japan, drawing thousands of registrations for limited attendance slots. Additionally, the series has topped streaming charts in the country on several occasions.

All five seasons of Stranger Things are currently available to stream on Netflix.