You can witness the rise of the sinister Henry Creel in the trailer forStranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage play based on Netflix’s hit sci-fi series.
It’s 1959, and the Creel family is looking for a fresh start in Hawkins, Indiana. “It’s not real. I’m normal,” Henry ominously says in the footage. As thetrailerprogresses, Henry remains tormented by his telekinesis, eventually winding up at the Hawkins National Laboratory, the site where he will transform into 001, aka Vecna.
The First Shadowis aStranger Thingsprequel origin story set 25 years before the events in season 1. The play features younger versions of Jim Hopper (Oscar Lloyd), Joyce Byers (Isabella Pappas), Bob Newby (Christopher Buckley), and Henry Creel (Louis McCartney).
Stranger Things: The First Shadowis written by Kate Trefry, a writer on the Netflix series. The play is based on an original idea by Trefry, Jack Thorne, andStranger Thingscreators Matt and Ross Duffer, professionally known as The Duffer Brothers.The First Shadowis directed by Stephen Daldry and co-director Justin Martin,
The play premiered in London’s West End in December 2023. Shows were only scheduled through August 22, 2025. However,The First Shadow’srun has been extended to July 24, 2025. There are rumors that the show will head toBroadway in New York Cityin 2025.
There is no official word ifStranger Things: The First Shadowwill be filmed forNetflix. Yet, a trailer for a stage play is a sign thatit could end up on the streaming service at some point in the future.
Aside fromThe First Shadow,the Duffer Brothers are working onStranger Thingsseason 5. The fifth season will conclude the series, which has had a historic run as one of Netflix’s most popular TV shows ever.Stranger Thingsseason 5 is expected to arrive sometime in 2025.
