‘Stranger Things’ Animated Series to Take Viewers Deeper Into the Upside Down

Netflix’s “Stranger Things” animated series has started production. Concept art for the upcoming original was shown during Next on Netflix: Animation Press Preview

The streamer first ordered a straight-to-series animated “Stranger Things” project in April of 2023. The show will be produced by Flying Bark Productions, which is known for its work on “Marvel’s Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur” on Disney Channel and “What If …?” on Disney+. It will be executive produced by Eric Robles via Flying Bark Production, the Duffer brothers under their Upside Down Pictures production banner along with Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen via 21 Laps.

“We’ve always dreamed of an animated ‘Stranger Things’ in the vein of the Saturday morning cartoons that we grew up loving, and to see this dream realized has been absolutely thrilling,” the Duffer brothers said in a statement about the series in April of 2023. “We couldn’t be more blown away by what Eric Robles and his team have come up with – the scripts and artwork are incredible, and we can’t wait to share more with you! The adventure continues …”

The concept images shared by Netflix showed kids in the Upside Down facing down fearsome creatures; what’d you’d expect, for sure. But what was interesting was that they didn’t specify the time period of the series, or who would be involved. Could beloved characters from the live-action series make their return, or will they be veering into uncharted waters for Hawkins and the Upside Down? One creature looked like an even more fearsome Demogorgon, with the sky alight with the Upside Down’s traditional red lightning.

Not only was the imagery exciting, eliciting an audible response from the crowd gathered at Netflix’s Tudum theater, but it was also heartwarming, just knowing that we wouldn’t be totally done with this world after the final episodes of the original series stream next year.

The animated series is the latest “Stranger Things” project to come from Upside Down Pictures. In addition to Season 5 of the flagship show, there is also a London stage show about the Netflix original titled “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” and an untitled live-action spinoff.

Outside of their beloved sci-fi franchise, the Duffer brothers are also adapting Stephen King and Peter Straub’s “The Talisman” and are producing an original series alongside Jeffrey Addiss and Will Matthews, best known for “Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance.” They’re also working on a live-action adaptation of the anime “Death Note.”

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