Stranger Things: Tales From 85 Lands April Release Date and New Animated Trailer
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Netflix has announced an April 23, 2026 release date and dropped the official trailer for the animated series Stranger Things: Tales From 85, set between Seasons 2 and 3 of the hit show.
Netflix is expanding its flagship supernatural universe with a brand new animated series, and the wait is almost over. According to a recent report by IGN South Africa, Stranger Things: Tales From 85 officially premieres on April 23, 2026. Set during the winter of 1985 in the crucial gap between Seasons 2 and 3, the show drops viewers back into Hawkins just as Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max are trying to enjoy a normal routine of tabletop gaming and snowball fights.
Showrunner Eric Robles and executive producers the Duffer Brothers are steering the project, promising a narrative that dives into untold corners of the timeline. In the newly released trailer, the young crew encounters a mutating pumpkin monster that hints at a terrifying remnant of the Upside Down surviving beneath the winter snow. Robles noted that the animated format lets the production team freeze time and spend deeper, more character focused moments with the kids in ways the live action series simply could not accommodate.
For communities invested in transmedia storytelling, this project represents a great way to keep the franchise alive between major season drops while exploring new creative mediums. Animated spin offs of massive live action universes often allow for wilder monster designs and lower friction storytelling, making this a smart play for fans who treat the show as a core social viewing experience. You can check out the full details and initial trailer over at IGN South Africa.
Tags: Stranger Things, Netflix, Animation, Streaming, Gaming Culture
Original article: IGN South Africa