Stranger Things: Tales From '85
Hawkins is back and this time, it’s animated, more terrifying than ever, and arriving way sooner than fans expected. The Upside Down still has secrets to share. Here’s everything you need to know before it drops.
The Big News / The Hype
Netflix dropped the full trailer, complete voice cast, and key art for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 on March 26, 2026 and the internet has been in full meltdown mode ever since. The reveal confirmed that horror legend Robert Englund, who chilled audiences as Victor Creel in Season 4, is returning to the Stranger Things universe to voice a brand-new character named Cosmo, sending longtime fans into absolute hysteria.
What has fans equally shook is the bold creative choice at the heart of the series: none of the original live-action cast not Millie Bobby Brown, not Finn Wolfhard, not anyone are reprising their roles. An entirely fresh voice cast steps in, and the show promises 10 full half-hour episodes of brand-new Hawkins lore. The Duffer Brothers are executive producing, and showrunner Eric Robles has already warned fans: “Bad things can happen to anyone” don’t expect a safety net just because it’s a cartoon.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Full Cast, Real Names & Roles
- Real Name: Brooklyn Davey Norstedt — Playing: Eleven
- Real Name: Luca Diaz — Playing: Mike Wheeler
- Real Name: Jolie Hoang-Rappaport — Playing: Max Mayfield
- Real Name: Elisha “EJ” Williams — Playing: Lucas Sinclair
- Real Name: Braxton Quinney — Playing: Dustin Henderson
- Real Name: Jeremy Jordan — Playing: Steve Harrington
Mind-Blowing Cast Salaries (Per Episode/Movie)
| Actor Name | Estimated Remuneration |
|---|---|
| Jeremy Jordan (Steve) | Approx. $80,000–$100,000 per episode |
| Robert Englund (Cosmo) | Approx. $75,000–$90,000 per episode |
| Brooklyn Davey Norstedt (Eleven) | Approx. $30,000–$50,000 per episode |
| Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Max) | Approx. $25,000–$40,000 per episode |
| Elisha “EJ” Williams (Lucas) | Approx. $25,000–$40,000 per episode |
| Odessa A’zion (Nikki Baxter) | Approx. $40,000–$60,000 per episode |
Release Date & Where to Watch
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 premieres exclusively on Netflix on Thursday, April 23, 2026, with all 10 episodes dropping globally. Die-hard fans can catch the first two episodes even earlier special theatrical screenings are confirmed for April 18, 2026, across 34 AMC Theatres locations in the United States, plus the Paris Theater in New York and Netflix House Philadelphia, with showtimes at 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM local time.
What to Expect? (Plot Teaser)
Set in the winter of 1985 the quiet stretch between Seasons 2 and 3 Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max have traded monster-fighting for snowball fights and D&D sessions, convinced the worst is finally behind them. But something horrifying is stirring beneath the ice of Hawkins, and this time the threat may not even be coming directly from the Upside Down hinting at a terrifying new chapter with Upside Down Pumpkin Zombies, vine-like Minotaurs, and secrets buried inside Hawkins Lab. The Duffer Brothers promise this animated world captures the pure nostalgia of ’80s Saturday-morning cartoons with real, gut-punch stakes attached. Are you ready to return to Hawkins in animated form, or does something feel off about the new voice cast? Drop your take in the comments!
