Stranger Things Returns to Netflix in One Month

Netflix announced its fall lineup, revealing a rapid return for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85. The animated spinoff will premiere its second season on Sept. 17, 2026, arriving less than five months after the first season debuted on April 23. A press release outlined the plot for the upcoming episodes:

“With Valentine’s Day on the way, the gang must uncover the truth behind ghostly apparitions and a swarm of strange creatures causing chaos around town.”

The animated series Tales from ’85 takes place between the second and third seasons of Stranger Things. Viewers can also explore why the story fits into this specific point in the timeline. Netflix formally renewed the series shortly after its debut, though the quick turnaround suggests animation studio Flying Bark Productions began work on the second season ahead of that announcement.

The first season of Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 received a mixed response from audiences and critics, earning a 63% critic rating and a 52% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Some reviewers praised the show for recapturing the charm from earlier seasons of Stranger Things, while others described it as a perfunctory midquel.

Eric Robles and Jennifer Muro developed the animated series, with Robles also serving as showrunner. Franchise creators the Duffer Brothers served as executive producers. The series is produced by Netflix Animation Studios, Upside Down Pictures, 21 Laps Entertainment, and Flying Bark Productions. Flying Bark has also produced animation for Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, Marvel’s What If…?, and Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

The animation arrives as the main Stranger Things prepares to conclude its 42-episode run on Dec. 31, 2025. The franchise has delivered massive ratings for Netflix, with season 3 setting a record as the most-watched original Netflix series. Trade reports confirmed in 2023 that a live-action spin-off was in development, though Netflix has not made a formal announcement regarding that project.

Source: Polygon