A 'Stranger Things' Prequel Play Is Coming to London's West End

With no release date set for Stranger Things Season 5, fans are patiently awaiting the conclusion of the retro sci-fi saga. If you can’t stand to wait more than a year to revisit Hawkins, Indiana, a new play coming to London’s West End will let you experience the Stranger Things universe as it’s never been seen before.

According to an announcement from Netflix, Stranger Things: The First Shadow will premiere at the Phoenix Theatre later in 2023. The original story from the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry takes place in Hawkins in 1959 before Mike, Eleven, or the rest of the young characters are born. It follows Jim Hopper, Bob Newby, and Joyce Maldonado dealing with normal teenage problems in the small Indiana town. In classic Stranger Things fashion, things take a turn for the weird when their school welcomes Henry Creel—the psychic boy who becomes Vecna in Season 4.

In addition to the never-before-told story, the play will feature the dazzling visual effects fans have come to expect from the franchise. “The world and mythology of Stranger Things has enabled a rich and fertile ground for creating an incredible story for the stage,” producer Sonia Friedman said in a statement. “The Duffer Brothers have built a huge global following for good reason, and a world-class creative team has built on their boundless imagination to dream up an unbelievably exciting theatrical event for our audiences.”

Tickets for Stranger Things: The First Shadow will be available to purchase this spring, with additional sales details expected later in March. If you’re still impatient for new content, tide yourself over with these fan theories about the Netflix series.