The world of Stranger Things is expanding with a new live-action prequel series. Netflix has officially announced Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure, taking the franchise beyond Hawkins and introducing a fresh setting, new characters and mysteries rooted in the 1950s. The series is scheduled to premiere on the streaming platform in 2028.
The announcement arrived on November 6, 2026, as part of the annual Stranger Things Day celebrations. Netflix also released a brief announcement teaser, offering viewers their first glimpse of the mysterious world that will form the backdrop of the upcoming series.
Sharing the announcement on social media, the official Stranger Things account teased the new chapter with the line, “Before Hawkins, there was Marion.” The message also confirmed that Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure will stream exclusively on Netflix in 2028.
Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure Is Set in 1955
Unlike the original series, which primarily follows supernatural events in Hawkins, Indiana, the new prequel will take viewers to Marion, Nevada. Set in the 1950s, the story takes place decades before the Hawkins gang encounters the mysterious forces that change their lives.
The teaser offers a glimpse of the setting through an abandoned bicycle, a radio playing in the background and an ominous sky above a restricted area. A title card identifies the location and date as April 19, 1955, in Marion, Nevada, establishing an important starting point for the new story.
Netflix has not revealed the complete plot, character details or the supernatural mystery at the centre of the series. However, the announcement confirms that the prequel will introduce a new setting and a different group of heroes and villains while remaining part of the Stranger Things universe.
How Is the Prequel Connected to Stranger Things: The First Shadow?
One of the most interesting details about Other Worlds is its position in the franchise timeline. The new series takes place before the events of Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage production that explores the troubled past of Henry Creel, the character who eventually becomes Vecna.
The stage play is set in Hawkins in 1959, while the new Netflix series begins in 1955. This places Other Worlds several years earlier in the timeline and creates an opportunity to explore the franchise’s mythology through a different period.
However, Netflix has not confirmed whether Henry Creel or any familiar characters from the original series will appear in the prequel. The creators have indicated that the project will introduce new characters and a fresh story, so viewers should not assume that it will directly follow the Hawkins gang.
Who Is Behind Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure?
The new series brings back the creative team behind the original franchise. Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things, are developing the project alongside longtime franchise writer Kate Trefry.
Trefry will serve as the show’s showrunner and writer, while the Duffer Brothers are involved as co-creators and executive producers. Filmmaker Joe Wright, known for films including Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, is set to direct the first three episodes.
The creative team’s involvement signals that Netflix intends to expand the franchise while giving the new series its own identity. The Duffer Brothers have described the project as recognisably Stranger Things but with a new setting, new heroes and villains, and a different storytelling direction.
Casting details have not yet been announced. Netflix has also not revealed how many episodes the first season will contain.
Stranger Things Universe Expands With Another Spin-Off
With Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure, Netflix is adding another major project to the franchise. The original series concluded in 2025 after five seasons, bringing the central story of Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and their friends to an end.
The franchise has continued beyond the main show through the animated series Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 and the stage production Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The newly announced live-action prequel will further expand the fictional universe with a story set in a different decade and location.
The spin-off has reportedly been in development since 2022, when the Duffer Brothers first discussed plans to create another story within the Stranger Things universe. Its official announcement now confirms that the project is moving forward as a Netflix series.
For fans, the biggest questions remain unanswered: who will lead the story, what happened in Marion in 1955, and how will those events connect to the larger mythology of Stranger Things?
Netflix has confirmed the 2028 release window, but an exact premiere date, cast announcement and detailed plot synopsis are still awaited. Until then, the first teaser offers the clearest indication yet of where the next chapter of the franchise will begin.
FAQs
1. What is Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure?
Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure is an upcoming live-action prequel series expanding the Stranger Things universe. It will introduce a new setting, characters and supernatural mysteries.
2. When will Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure release?
The series is scheduled to premiere on Netflix in 2028. An exact release date has not yet been announced.
3. Where can viewers watch Other Worlds: A Stranger Things Adventure?
The series will stream exclusively on Netflix.
4. Where is the Stranger Things prequel set?
The story is set in Marion, Nevada, during the 1950s. The announcement teaser identifies April 19, 1955, as its specific starting point.
