Netflix brought the peculiar universe of Hawkins, Indiana, to life in London on Thursday with the premiere of a stage play inspired by its popular sci-fi series "Stranger Things."
Titled "Stranger Things: The First Shadow," the play unfolds in 1959, a period predating the events depicted in the TV series by two decades. The production is helmed by Matt and Ross Duffer, the sibling creators of the original series.
The play features Jim Hopper and Joyce Maldonado, characters portrayed as high school classmates with normal teen concerns about cars and classes until a new student arrives.
During the London West End premiere, Matt Duffer shared, "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."
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"Stranger Things" first premiered on Netflix in 2016, swiftly becoming the streaming giant's most-watched English language series. The show revolves around a group of teenagers confronting supernatural occurrences in the fictional town of Hawkins.
The fifth and concluding season of "Stranger Things" faced delays due to two Hollywood strikes this year. Matt Duffer revealed that production is set to resume in January for an anticipated year-long shoot.
Describing the upcoming season, he remarked, "It's a huge season, it's massive. There are a lot of expectations, but you take it a day at a time. It's going to be challenging but super rewarding."
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Netflix is actively transforming "Stranger Things" into a long-lasting franchise. Alongside the stage play, the company has approved the development of an animated spinoff series.
