The animated spinoff Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is now available to stream on Netflix, with all 10 episodes released simultaneously on 23 April 2026.
The series is set in the winter of 1985, placing its events between Stranger Things Season 2 and Season 3, and follows the core group of Hawkins characters in standalone adventures separate from the franchise’s main storyline.
The show is the first animated chapter of the Stranger Things universe and represents the franchise’s most significant expansion ahead of the final season of the live-action series.
Animation is provided by Flying Bark Productions, the Australian studio behind multiple action-adventure animated titles, as reported by Newsweek.
A limited theatrical preview of the first two episodes screened in select cinemas from 18 April before the full Netflix release five days later.
What the series is about and who is behind it
Tales from ’85 follows Eleven, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, Will and Max during the winter of 1985, a period not covered in detail by the main series.
The Duffer Brothers, who created Stranger Things, serve as executive producers alongside filmmaker Shawn Levy and producer Dan Cohen. Eric Robles leads as showrunner.
The season is structured as standalone episodes, each of which follows the group through smaller, contained adventures set in and around Hawkins, Indiana.
The format allows the series to revisit character dynamics from the show’s earlier seasons without the weight of the franchise’s larger mythological arc. The 10 episodes are all available immediately on Netflix, as reported by Screen Rant.
What South African viewers need to know
All 10 episodes of Tales from ’85 are available on Netflix in South Africa from 23 April 2026. Netflix operates in South Africa on subscription plans ranging from R99 to R279 per month depending on the tier selected.
The series carries the same TV-14 rating as the main Stranger Things franchise.
Early audience response has been positive, with viewers responding well to the animation style and to the opportunity to spend time with the Hawkins characters in a lower-stakes context.
The format also makes the series accessible to younger viewers who may find the horror elements of the main series too intense, broadening the franchise’s audience.
The final season of the live-action Stranger Things remains in production. Netflix and the Duffer Brothers have confirmed that Season 5 will conclude the story, though no release date has been announced.
Tales from ’85 is designed to hold the franchise’s presence on the platform through the wait, and a second season has not been announced at the time of publishing.
Whether the animated series continues beyond its first run will likely depend on viewership data from the weeks ahead.
