Full Breakdown
Netflix Announces Season 2 Renewal of “Stranger Things: Tales From ’85”
4/30/2026, 3:40:53 AM
Series Overview and Production
‘Stranger Things: Tales From ’85’ is an animated ten-episode spinoff set in the winter of 1985, between Seasons 2 and 3 of the live-action series. Developed by Eric Robles and Jennifer Muro, the show is executive-produced by the Duffer brothers, Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen, with animation by Flying Bark Productions. The voice cast features Brooklyn Davey Norstedt (Eleven), Luca Diaz (Mike), Braxton Quinney (Dustin), Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Max), Elisha Williams (Lucas), Ben Plessala (Will) and Odessa A’zion (Nikki), alongside Lou Diamond Phillips, Janeane Garofalo and Jeremy Jordan.
Viewership and Rankings
During its debut week the series entered Netflix’s Global Top 10 at #7, logging 13.8 million streaming hours (?2.8 million full views). Industry data list it among the platform’s top 15 animated series debuts. The broader “Stranger Things” franchise has amassed 1.5 billion total views across five seasons as of March 2026.
Official Response
Netflix’s press release announced the renewal, noting that after “uncovering a fearsome mystery at the end of Season 1,” the heroes will “take on another perilous threat when new episodes head to Netflix this fall,” emphasizing the goal of sustaining audience engagement between live-action installments.
Reception
Rotten Tomatoes reports a 63 % critic score and a 54 % audience score for Season 1, with reviewers split between praise for its nostalgic tone and criticism of its fan-fiction feel.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Working on Season 1 has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Now that it’s out in the world, seeing fans connect with these characters—whether they’ve loved them for years or are just meeting them for the first time—has been truly special. I’m excited to continue the journey,” — Eric Robles, Showrunner
- “We’re thrilled to return to the winter of ’85 for Season 2. The Hawkins Investigators Club is back, and a new paranormal threat has emerged from the town’s abandoned silver mines. I can’t wait for fans to discover where this entity and the mysterious blue flower we last saw blooming in the Upside Down at the end of Season 1 take our young heroes.” — Eric Robles, Showrunner
- “7 on its Top 10 shows list, and it's one of the top 15 animated series debuts of all time.” — CBR
- “Eleven and Mike on Stranger Things: Tales From '85 Image via Netflix Stranger Things: Tales from '85's first season earned a respectable 63% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics divided over whether the show was an endearing throwback to the Saturday morning cartoons of decades ago or more like bad fan fiction.” — CBR
What’s Next
Season 2 is scheduled for a fall 2026 release. Netflix also announced tie-in merchandise—Jazwares action figures, Funko Pop! Vinyls and a McDonald’s Happy Meal mini-figure line—as well as a soundtrack by Brad Breeck and an official Spotify playlist.
