Stranger Things Season 5 is the show’s last but there will be spinoffs, with the Duffer brothers finally revealing the plot of the animated series. However, Hawkins fans, there’s something you should know.
November 26 will be a historic moment in TV history, as Volume 1 of Stranger Things’ final chapter will drop on Netflix, as will Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve 2025, when Volume 2 and the Season 5 finale arrive.
After that, Matt and Ross Duffer are heading over to Paramount, where they’ve signed a four-year deal to create new movies, shows, and streaming projects through their production company, Upside Down Pictures.
But that doesn’t mean the world of Hawkins is going anywhere. The Duffer brothers will still be creatively involved in the upcoming spinoffs, which include a live-action anthology show and the animated series, Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85.
Stranger Things spinoffs will never feature main Hawkins cast
In a new interview with SFX Magazine, the Duffer brothers revealed more about Tales From ‘85, which is an animated show set between Seasons 2 and 3 of Stranger Things.
“The cartoon goes back and fills in a six-month gap that we weren’t able to explore,” Ross Duffer said (via What’s On Netflix). “It’s fun because you get to see them as little kids again, but it’s not really again.”
This is undeniably exciting news for fans, with the outlet pointing out that this is the first time the brothers have given this specific detail about the spinoff.
There is some disappointing news, however: in no way are any of the main Hawkins gang going to return, whether that be in voice form in Tales From ‘85 or in the live-action anthology show.
As the Duffers said, “This really is the end of the story of Eleven and Mike and Lucas and Dustin and Steve and all these characters, and Hawkins specifically.” Yes, that means no reboots, no returns, and no sequels from the main crew.
Still, nine years is a good run, and there’s plenty to be excited about when it comes to Season 5.
Season 5 to explore Will’s feelings for Mike
Elsewhere in the interview, Noah Schnapp revealed that the final chapter will delve deeper into why his character Will Byers was snatched in the first place, with Season 5 to open with a de-aged Will for a “cool little flashback scene”.
Schnapp also said Will’s feelings for Mike will be explored further. “We’ve always known Will has these feelings and they finally explore that and they take it to a place that’s very real,” he explained.
“Season 5 hits a touch on every emotion you could think of: fear, heartbreak, anger, trauma.”
Meanwhile, Lucas star Caleb McLaughlin described Season 5 as like a blend of “Season 1 and Season 4”. And Mike actor Finn Wolfhard added that he’s “pleased” with how his character’s arc is resolved, and that it’s “bigger than I could have imagined.”
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