“Stranger Things” is moving forward with a new adventure: A prequel series set in the 1950s. “Other Worlds” will take the franchise back in time 30 years to Marion, Nevada in 1955.
Created by the Duffer Brothers and Kate Trefry, “Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure” takes place before the events of the flagship series and the Broadway play “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”
The first teaser for the show eerily played a 50s doo-wop song “Sh Boom (Life Could Be A Dream)” by The Chords from a boom box attached to an old bike. The camera panned up to a cloudy sky before a title card read “April 19, 1955 Marion, Nevada.” A thunderous sound broke open the skies to reveal potentially another version of the Upside Down.
“‘Stranger Things’ has always belonged to the fans, and their passion made it a worldwide phenomenon. Today, on Stranger Things Day, we’re honored to partner again with Matt and Ross Duffer and Kate Trefry to give fans a new dimension of this universe to step into. ‘Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure’ takes us to the 1950s with new heroes and all the heart, mystery and spectacle of the original series. We’re proud to keep building this world with the Duffers, Kate, Shawn Levy and Joe Wright, and we can’t wait for fans to see what’s next,” said Jinny Howe, Netflix Head of Scripted Series, US & Canada.
The series is set to premiere in 2028 with Trefry co-creating, showrunning and executive producing. She served as a longtime writer on the original “Stranger Things” and was the playwright behind the stage production.
“The Duffer Brothers gave me my first paying job in Hollywood, and it has been a joy and a fever dream ever since,” she said in a statement. “With the support of Netflix and 21 Laps, we have had the time of our lives returning to all the horror, wonder and mystery of the flagship, while also telling a wholly new story, one we hope will blow your minds and break your hearts all over again. There are so many more mysteries to explore. Welcome to Other Worlds.”
BAFTA and Golden Globe-winning Joe Wright will direct the first three episodes of the prequel series. He is best known for directing “Atonement,” Gary Oldman-led Winston Churchill drama “Darkest Hour” and the Keira Knightley-led “Pride & Prejudice.”
Shawn Levy will executive produce the series through his 21 Laps production company with Paul Dichter, Shelley Meals, Andrea Sperling and Pavlina Hatoupis. The Duffers will also executive produce via Upside Down Pictures.
“We’ve been dreaming of ‘Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure’ for many years now, and to see it become a reality is surreal and exhilarating,” Matt and Ross Duffer said. “We’re so grateful to our incredible team of collaborators: our showrunner Kate Trefry, who has been in the trenches with us since Season 2 and wrote ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow;’ and our director, Joe Wright, a brilliant artist whose work we’ve long admired. We can’t wait for you to see what they’re cooking up.”
“It’s ‘Stranger Things,’ but also thrillingly fresh, with a new setting, new heroes and villains, and new… actually, we’re not allowed to say any more. Now, on to casting. In the meantime — watch the skies, nerds!” the co-creaters teased.
No other plot details were revealed beyond the time and place setting. The series will have “all-new characters, themes and mythology — the seeds of which may have been planted in Hawkins, but now venture into other worlds of spectacle, action and emotion,” according to Levy.
“Stranger Things” debuted in 2016 on Netflix and has topped over 1.2 billion views from Seasons 1 through 4. The fifth and final season was Netflix’s biggest English-language premiere week.
The prequel series joins the animated series “Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85.” The franchise has also expanded to a Tony Award-winning stage production, live experiences at Netflix House and a series of books.
