Stranger Things gets new live-action prequel Other Worlds, set to premiere in 2028

The world of Stranger Things is expanding once again, with Netflix announcing a new live-action prequel that will take viewers several decades before the events of the original series. Titled Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure, the upcoming show will explore a different chapter of the franchise, bringing in a fresh setting, new characters and an unexplored supernatural mystery. The project reunites the Duffer Brothers with writer Kate Trefry, who previously worked on the hit series and penned the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow.

What is 'Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure' about?

Announced on November 6 as part of Stranger Things Day, Other Worlds is set in the 1950s, before the events of both the original Netflix series and The First Shadow. The announcement teaser places the story in Marion, Nevada, on April 19, 1955. The brief footage features an abandoned bicycle near a restricted area, with a mysterious disturbance appearing in the night sky. While Netflix has kept the central storyline under wraps, the new series is expected to introduce an entirely different group of protagonists and antagonists.

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The prequel will explore another part of the supernatural mythology associated with the franchise while establishing its own narrative, setting and characters. Unlike the original show, which follows a group of children in Hawkins, Indiana, the new chapter will take the story to Nevada.

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Who is behind the new Stranger Things prequel?

Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things, are developing the series alongside Kate Trefry. She will serve as its showrunner, co-creator and writer. Trefry is already familiar to fans of the franchise. She has worked on the original series since its second season and wrote Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage production that explores the younger years of Henry Creel.

Filmmaker Joe Wright has also joined the project and will direct its first three episodes. Known for films such as Pride & Prejudice, Atonement and Darkest Hour, Wright will bring his directorial vision to the new supernatural story. The production also involves Shawn Levy and his company 21 Laps, alongside the Duffer Brothers' Upside Down Pictures.

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In a statement announcing the project, Matt and Ross Duffer described the series as a fresh addition to the franchise, featuring a different setting, new heroes and villains. Trefry also expressed excitement about returning to the world of Stranger Things, describing the opportunity to create a new chapter with the Duffer Brothers and Wright as a special milestone in her career.

How does Other Worlds connect to 'The First Shadow'?

The upcoming series will be set before the events of The First Shadow, the stage production that explores Henry Creel's early life and his connection to the supernatural events surrounding Hawkins.

The play provides additional background to the origins of the character who eventually becomes Vecna in the Netflix series. By moving further back in the timeline, Other Worlds will explore an earlier period of the franchise's mythology.

However, the makers have indicated that the prequel will not simply revisit familiar characters and storylines. Instead, it will introduce a new ensemble and develop a separate adventure while retaining the horror, mystery and supernatural elements associated with the original series.

When will Other Worlds premiere on Netflix?

Netflix has confirmed that Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure is scheduled to premiere in 2028. Production is set to take place in New Mexico. The streaming platform has not yet announced the cast or a specific release date. Further details about the characters and storyline are also being kept under wraps.

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With the original Stranger Things story having reached its conclusion, the new prequel will offer audiences another opportunity to explore the franchise's supernatural universe, this time through a story set in a different decade and location.