Netflix takes Stranger Things to the stage in London
LONDON – The unusual world of Hawkins, Indiana, came alive in London on Dec 14, as Netflix debuted a stage play based on its hit science-fiction series Stranger Things.
Called Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the play takes place in 1959, two decades before the period explored in the television show. It was produced by Matt and Ross Duffer, the brothers who created the series.
Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado – adult characters in the TV show – are seen as high school classmates with normal teen concerns about cars and classes until a new student arrives.
“It sheds a lot of light on both the back story of all our characters and also starts to give some hints on where we are heading into the final season of the show,” Matt said at the premiere of the play in London’s West End.
Stranger Things debuted on Netflix in 2016 and became the streaming company’s most-watched English-language series. The show tells the story of a group of teenagers battling supernatural events in the fictional town of Hawkins.
The fifth and final season of Stranger Things was delayed by two Hollywood strikes in 2023. Production will resume in January for what is expected to be a year-long shoot, Matt said.
“It’s a huge season, it’s massive,” he said. “There are a lot of expectations, but you take it a day at a time. It’s going to be challenging but super rewarding.”
Netflix is working to turn Stranger Things into a long-running franchise. In addition to the stage play, the company has green-lit an animated spin-off series. – REUTERS
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