Netflix unveiled the world of Hawkins, Indiana, in London with the premiere of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a stage play based on the popular sci-fi series. Produced by Matt and Ross Duffer, the play is set in 1959, offering a glimpse into the characters’ lives two decades before the TV show’s timeline.
The play explores the teenage years of Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado, characters known as adults in the TV series, as they navigate typical high school concerns. Matt Duffer, one of the series creators, mentioned that the play provides insight into the backstories of the characters and offers hints about the upcoming final season of “Stranger Things.”
Since its debut on Netflix in 2016, “Stranger Things” has become the platform’s most-watched English language series. The show follows a group of teenagers dealing with supernatural events in the fictional town of Hawkins.
The fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” faced delays due to Hollywood strikes, with production set to resume in January for an expected year-long shoot. Matt Duffer expressed the enormity of the upcoming season, acknowledging the challenges but emphasizing the potential rewards.
Netflix aims to transform “Stranger Things” into a long-running franchise, evident in the stage play and the greenlit animated spinoff series.