Netflix is getting ready to launch the Stranger Things animated spin-off, and a fresh clip just dropped showing the show’s favorite babysitter and his young friend in serious danger. The new video, released on April 19, 2026, gives viewers a proper look at Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson dealing with Upside Down vines while trapped inside a moving truck. The series arrives on April 23, 2026, giving fans just seven days to prepare for the return to Hawkins.
Steve and Dustin Face Mind Flayer Vines in New Animated Clip
The new clip for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 throws the beloved duo right into chaos. Steve and Dustin find themselves inside a speeding truck while creepy vines, clearly connected to the Mind Flayer, attack them from all sides. Even with the danger closing in, the two keep up their usual back-and-forth arguing and joking with each other.
Their relationship remains the same mix of annoyance and loyalty that made them a fan favorite in the original show. Steve acts as the worried protector who does not really know what to do, while Dustin plays the smarter but sometimes confused kid who comes up with plans on the spot. The animation style does not soften their chemistry, and the voice actors capture the same energy that Joe Keery and Gaten Matarazzo brought to the live-action versions.
The Mind Flayer’s vines move faster and more wildly in the animated format compared to the original series. They whip around the truck, break through windows, and create a real sense of panic. The clip shows that even in cartoon form, the Upside Down remains terrifying.
Animated Spin-Off Takes Place Between Seasons 2 and 3
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 is set during the winter of 1985, filling the gap between the second and third seasons of the original show. Hawkins is covered in snow, and the town thinks the worst is behind them. But a new paranormal mystery starts terrorizing the community, forcing Eleven, Mike, Lucas, Max, Will, and Dustin to suit up again.
The series comes from executive producers Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of the original Stranger Things, along with Shawn Levy. Eric Robles serves as showrunner, and the animation comes from Flying Bark Productions, the studio behind What If…?. Robles has pointed to 1980s cartoons like The Real Ghostbusters and Transformers as style guides for the show’s look.
None of the original cast members voice their animated versions. New actors take over including Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha Williams as Lucas, Benjamin Plessala as Will, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, and Brett Gipson as Hopper. The voice cast also includes Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips in supporting roles.
Fans React to New Footage Before April 23 Release
The response to the new clip has been mixed across social media. Some viewers feel excited to see Steve and Dustin back in action, even in animated form. One fan on Reddit wrote:
“The Dustin voice acting is nuts, like that’s literally Gaten.”
Others pointed out that the show seems to capture the lighter, funnier tone that the original series lost in its later seasons. A Reddit user shared:
“Seems a bit more like low stakes wacky fun, which the show has kind of lost over time. The VA are also pretty similar to the OG ones.”
But not everyone is ready to give the spin-off a chance. Some fans remain unhappy with how the original series ended with season five earlier in 2026. Comments on X included “No one wants this” and “We will not be watching if it’s directed by the Duffers.” Others questioned why the show needs to exist at all, asking if it will answer any of the questions the final season left open.
The new character Nikki Baxter, a girl with pink hair described as a “tinkerer,” has also caused debate. Some fans feel the original group already has enough characters without adding someone new to the middle of the story.
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Release Details for Stranger Things: Tales from ’85
Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 will release worldwide on Netflix on April 23, 2026. The complete first season will drop all episodes at once, following the same pattern as the original show. Viewers in the USA can watch starting at 12:00 AM PT / 3:00 AM ET. UK viewers get access at 8:00 AM BST. Canada follows the same timing as the US Eastern time zone. Australia gets the release on the morning of April 24 due to time zone differences. India viewers can watch starting at 12:30 PM IST.
The series was first announced back in April 2025 and has been in some form of development for nearly nine years. Online theories suggest the show may have started as a scrapped video game project from Telltale Games, which was developing a Stranger Things game before the company filed for bankruptcy in 2018. The visual style of Tales from ’85 matches Telltale’s signature look, and the storyline matches what that game was supposed to cover. Netflix has not confirmed or denied this theory.
The Duffer brothers have said that animation allows them to go bigger than live-action ever could. Ross Duffer explained that with animation “there’s really no limits” and the team can just “go wild.” Whether fans agree with that direction or not, the series will give everyone a chance to return to Hawkins one more time before the week ends.
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