Stranger Things: The First Shadow.Photo: Netflix
The strange and mystical world of Hawkins is coming to the stage!
Netflixannounced Wednesday that the world of the Duffer Brothers will be making its stage debut in London’s West End at the end of 2023 withStranger Things: The First Shadow.
Stranger Things: The First Shadowtakes the audience “right back to the beginning of theStranger Thingsstory,” the synopsis continues, teasing that the Phoenix Theatre show “may hold the key” to the epic saga’s conclusion.
Stephen Daldry, a prolific film and theater director (Billy Elliot,The Crown,Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close), will helm the project, with Sonia Friedman Productions also on hand.
Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer and Kate Trefry.Brad Torchia/Netflix
“We are beyond excited aboutStranger Things: The First Shadow,” the series' creators,Matt and Ross Duffer, said in a statement. “Collaborating with the brilliant Stephen Daldry has been nothing short of inspiring, and Kate Trefry has written a play that is at turns surprising, scary and heartfelt.”
“You will meet endearing new characters, as well as very familiar ones, on a journey into the past that sets the groundwork for the future ofStranger Things,” the Duffer Brothers added. “We’re dying to tell you more about the story but won’t — it’s more fun to discover it for yourself. Can’t wait to see you nerds in London!”
Sonia Friedman, a famed West End andBroadwayproducer, said in a statement that she “can’t wait to welcomeStranger Thingsfans into theatre and theatregoers into the realm ofStranger Things.”
“The world and mythology ofStranger Thingshas enabled a rich and fertile ground for creating an incredible story for the stage,” Friedman continued. “The Duffer Brothers have built a huge global following for good reason, and a world-class creative team has built on their boundless imagination to dream up an unbelievably exciting theatrical event for our audiences.”
She concluded, “Set within the canon ofStranger Things, this new play opens in London, with the West End hosting the only place in the world to experience this new story — for now.”
Jackson Lee Davis/Netflix
The upcoming West End play is just one of many upcomingStranger Thingsprojects the Duffer Brothers have in the works.
While the upcomingfifth season will be the show’s last, it’s not the end of the franchise. The brothers have revealed they have a spinoff in mind.
The new story is"different than what anyone is expecting, including Netflix," Matt, 39, toldVarietyin June 2022, though he and his twin refrained from sharing any more details.
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“The reason we haven’t done anything is just because youdon’t want to be doing it for the wrong reasons, and it was just like, ‘Is this something I would want to make regardless of it being related toStranger Thingsor not?’ And definitely,” he reportedly added in an interview that same month, per Deadline. “Even if we took theStranger Thingstitle off of it, I’m so, so excited about it.”
More information about how to purchase tickets forStranger Things: The First Shadowwill be announced later this month, Netflix said. To receive priority access to tickets when they go on sale in the spring, fans can sign upon the play’s official website.
source: people.com
