Close on the heels of Stranger Things' Season 5, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85' arrives on Netflix with a new adventure in the beloved universe. There is no resurrection of Vecna this time. Instead, the animated series follows the nerdy Hawkins squad during the relatively calmer and happy times between Seasons 2 and 3. That timeline also opens the door for the return of Eleven, who vanished into the Upside Down in the Season 5 finale. 

With that in mind, will the original cast return to reprise their roles, or will Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 introduce a new lineup of voice actors?

Brooklyn Davey Norstedt (WeCrashed) as Eleven

Elisha Williams (The Wonder Years) as Lucas

Luca Diaz (Migration) as Mike

Braxton Quinney (Hoppers) as Dustin

Benjamin Plessala (Shameless) as Will

Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Watchmen) as Max

Alessandra Antonelli (Irrational) as Nancy Wheeler

Brett Gipson (Shameless) as Hopper

Alysia Reiner (Orange Is The New Black) as Karen Wheeler

Odessa A'zion (Marty Supreme) as Nikki Baxter

Lou Diamond Phillips (The Big Hit) as Daniel Fischer

The 10-episode series is clearly moving forward with a fresh cast. Now, while the Duffer Brothers remain on board as executive producers, they are not serving as showrunners this time. That role has been taken over by Eric Robles, who is bringing a new creative vision to the project. 

Where Are the 'Stranger Things' Cast Now: See What the Actors Are Doing After Saving Hawkins

So, it is not just a new cast, there is also a shift in approach and storytelling, as per the showrunner.

The animated spin-off show, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, is more accessible for younger audiences. Showrunner Eric Robles explained that the show has a kid-focused narrative. He wanted the show to be watched by adult fans of the original show, Stranger Things, along with their kids.

“We said, 'This is about the kids. This story, this adventure, is going to be about the kids.' Because when I remember watching Goonies or Stand By Me, it was about the kids’ journey,” he told Parenting Patch. 

“So, instead of going down the bigger route of getting Adults and Government involved, we said, Let’s keep it to the kids riding bikes and solving mysteries on their own.”

The creators, including the Duffer Brothers, were also interested in keeping the story focused on a kids’ adventure rather than introducing dangerous villains and conspiracies. This likely answers several questions from fans who were wondering why there is a new Stranger Things show. And more will be found out when the series premieres on Netflix on April 23, 2026, with its brand new set of voices.

‘Stranger Things’ Star Nell Fisher Shares Her Madrid Trip With an Adorable Tribute to the Netflix Show

What do you think about the new cast in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85? Let us know in the comments.