A stage-play adaptation of the hit Netflix franchise “Stranger Things” will premiere in London’s West End later this year, the streamer said Wednesday.
Based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” will be set in the 1950s as an origin story that “takes you back to the beginning of ‘Stranger Things. The story — and the ending — may hold the key. The drama, written by Trefry, writer and TV series co-executive producer, will be rooted in the mythology and world of the Netflix global phenomenon.
“We are very excited about ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow,'” said series creators Matt and Ross Duffer. “Collaborating with the talented Stephen Daldry is nothing short of inspiring, and Kate Trefry has written a play that is surprising, terrifying and heartwarming. You’ll meet new characters as well as very familiar ones, on a journey into the past Which lays the groundwork for the future of Stranger Things. We’re dying to tell you more about the story, but we won’t — it’s more fun to discover it for yourself. Looking forward to seeing more of you idiots in London can’t!”
The stage production will be produced by Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions. It will open at the historic Phoenix Theatre.
According to a logline, ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ will be set in 1959 in ‘a regular town with regular worries’. “Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get out of town,” the description says. “When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family learns that making a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past loom large.”
The play will be directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin. Tickets for the production will go on sale this spring, with details to be announced later this month.
“The world and mythology of Stranger Things enable a rich and fertile ground for creating an incredible story for the platform,” said producer Sonia Friedman. “The Duffer Brothers have amassed an enormous global following for good reason, and a world-class creative team has built on their boundless imagination to dream up an incredibly exciting theatrical event for our audiences. Set within the canon of ‘Stranger Things’, this new play begins in London, with the West End playing host to the only place in the world to experience this new story – for now.
“Stranger Things” debuted on Netflix in July 2016. Its fourth season, releasing in 2022, is at No. 1 on Netflix’s most popular English TV list with 1.35 billion hours watched. The series has garnered over 70 awards worldwide, including Emmys and Screen Actors Guild Awards for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.
“I’m thrilled to be reuniting with my visionary long-term collaborator Stephen Daldry,” said Greg Lombardo, Netflix’s VP Live Experience. “Together with our amazing Netflix partners, we can’t wait to welcome ‘Stranger Things’ fans to theaters and theater-goers to the realm of ‘Stranger Things’.”
