Stranger Things Is Officially Switching Main Characters

Published Sep 25, 2026, 7:15 PM EDT

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With Stranger Things: Tales From '85 season 2 coming to a close, the franchise is making a major shift as it moves forward, especially with its main character. As Stranger Things has been quietly laying the groundwork for a shift in the franchise, the show's spinoff has been doing its job to move the needle in a different direction entirely. After the conclusion of Stranger Things season 5, which brought the series to a climactic end, the animated spinoff, Stranger Things: Tales From '85, seems to have concluded its official run with two seasons that showed events between flagship seasons.

The focus of Stranger Things: Tales From '85 being on the kids of Hawkins made the animated show feel like a fairly different project than the original series, pulling viewers into a different direction than the live-action show. By depicting the core characters as they moved through animated adventures, Stranger Things viewers got something they wanted with a semi-continuation of the story, and at the same time, provided a new outlet that was different enough from the original series to be exciting and fresh. The move to a different format makes sense, but the spinoff appears to be changing again.

With the Duffer Brothers now heavily involved in a new deal with Paramount, Stranger Things: Tales From '85 appears to have run its course, and the franchise's announced live-action spinoff is in limbo. As a result, things are changing for Stranger Things in an unpredictable way that expands the long-standing universe.

The Stranger Things Live-Action Spinoff Will Focus On Entirely New Characters

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While Stranger Things: Tales From '85 focused on the same core characters as the original series, the next project in the Stranger Things franchise won't be as closely associated with those we've come to know in Hawkins. Though there hasn't been much news on what's to come for the long-developing live-action Stranger Things spinoff, the Duffer Brothers have confirmed that the new project won't feature the characters of the original series. Instead, it will feature a completely new set of characters, as well as a fresh direction, pulling away from the '80s horror style the Netflix series is known for.

While the Duffer Brothers have spoken some about the series, there hasn't been a ton said about what's to come for the Stranger Things franchise or the new project. Even so, the fact that the approach for the live-action spinoff has been different than what was done with Tales From '85 is exciting news. The Duffer Brothers have specifically shared that they want to avoid endlessly expanding the universe, but building into it with new characters, new stories, and a new style seems like the right move to continue working within the world of Stranger Things as a whole.

Stranger Things' Next Project May Still Be A Long Way Off

Credit: Netflix / Courtesy of Everett Collection

Though news about Stranger Things' live-action spinoff has been out for quite some time, the timeline for actually getting the project into production and on screen is quite muddy. With the show currently in early development, the Duffer Brothers' professional priorities have been shifting enough over the past few years to make it clear that the Stranger Things spinoff isn't top of mind. While the pair have been working with Netflix over the past few years, in late 2025, the duo signed an exclusive deal with Paramount that started after their Netflix deal came to a close this past April.

With a commitment to a whole new slate of projects and their work with Paramount diving into more theatrical releases, it's possible that the Stranger Things spinoff could be on a shelf for quite some time. At the same time, the fact that the Duffers are now working within a new space doesn't mean that the Stranger Things spinoff is dead in the water. With the announcement of their new deal making it clear that the pair are still professionally involved with Netflix for the purpose of continuing the Stranger Things universe, the Duffer Brothers have to balance their priorities.