Netflix Brings Stranger Things Spin-Off to Theaters Amidst Shifting Release Strategies

As the battle for Warner Bros. Discovery ownership has concluded with Paramount’s acquisition, Netflix is demonstrating a renewed interest in theatrical releases. This shift is exemplified by the upcoming preview of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, an animated spin-off, in select AMC Theatres.

Stranger Things Animated Spin-Off Gets Theatrical Preview

AMC Theatres will host a preview of the first two episodes of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 – a 55-minute screening – on April 18, five days before the series debuts on Netflix The Hollywood Reporter. However, access to this preview will be limited, with showings at noon and 3 p.m. Local time in 34 AMC theaters across 20 states, as well as the Netflix-run Paris Theater in New York and the Netflix House in Philadelphia.

This limited theatrical run contrasts with the wider release of the Stranger Things live-action finale, which played in approximately 600 theaters nationwide, including around 200 AMC locations, on December 31 and January 1.

About Stranger Things: Tales From ’85

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is an animated series set in the winter of 1985, continuing the story of Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max. The synopsis reveals that the characters are settling into a seemingly normal life, but a new threat emerges, potentially from the Upside Down, Hawkins Lab, or another unknown source The Hollywood Reporter.

The series features a new voice cast, including Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Luca Diaz as Mike, Benjamin Plessala as Will, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Brett Gipson as Hopper, and Jeremy Jordan as Steve. Odessa A’zion voices Nikki Baxter, with Janeane Garofalo and Lou Diamond Phillips also appearing in undisclosed roles.

Ticket Information

Tickets for the Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 preview go on sale March 18 at 8 a.m. PT. A list of participating AMC Theatres can be found here. The full series will be available on Netflix on April 23.