'Stranger Things' Is Getting the 'Star Wars' Treatment Later This Year With New Prequel

For fans still processing the epic conclusion of Stranger Things Season 5, Netflix will soon offer a new way to step back into Hawkins with Tales From ’85, a brand-new 3D animated series set to hit the streamer later this year. Set during the winter between seasons 2 and 3, the series explores untold events that shape the storylines fans thought they already knew.

The upcoming series has already drawn comparisons to The Clone Wars, not only because of its visual style, but just as the Star Wars animated series fills in the gap between the second and third prequel trilogy films Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005), Tales From ’85 will also dive into the space between its respective second and third chapters.

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And just like The Clone Wars, Tales From ’85 will see the return of several familiar characters such as Eleven, Mike, Will, Lucas, Dustin, and Max. However, Millie Bobby Brown and the gang won’t be returning — they’ll be voiced by new actors in the same way the likes of Anakin Skywalker, Master Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi did in the Star Wars series.

This approach allows those characters to evolve further while giving viewers new perspectives on their favorite Hawkins heroes. Not only did The Clone Wars enrich the overall prequel trilogy, it helped to flesh out its regular lineup, all the while introducing new ones like Ahsoka Tano. Perhaps Tales From ’85 also has a few surprise characters in store.

Related: New ‘Stranger Things’ Season 5 Film Gets Trailer and Release Date Amid Viral “Fake Ending” Theory

Stranger Things continues to solidify its status as a multimedia franchise. In addition to the long-running live-action series, it has released tie-in novels, comic books, video games, VR titles, walkthrough experiences, pop-up theme park attractions, and stage plays, all of which have allowed fans to explore Hawkins and the Upside Down in different and exciting ways.

Tales From ’85 promises to bridge story gaps, deepen character arcs, and deliver the kind of suspense and world-building that has made Stranger Things a cultural phenomenon since it first appeared on Netflix in 2016. Will it have the same impact for its own franchise in the same way Clone Wars did for the faraway galaxy? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure — once it lands, we probably won’t ever look at the live-action series in the same way again.

Tales From ’85 premieres this year. Stranger Things seasons 1 — 5 are now streaming.

Stranger Things Season 5 stars Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Brett Gelman (Murray Bauman), Nell Fisher (Holly Wheeler), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Jamie Campbell Bower (Vecna/Henry Creel), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler), and Linda Hamilton (Dr. Kay).

Are you excited about Stranger Things: Tales From ’85? Let us know in the comments down below!