Warning: Major SPOILERS for Stranger Things: The First ShadowAnother Stranger Things franchise expansion is coming to Netflix sometime soon, in the form of a movie staging of The First Shadow, a Broadway play that serves as a prequel to the original series. Given the significance of this announcement for fans, it’s worth noting that this movie retcons the finale of the TV show in a big way.
The Stranger Things series finale portrays Vecna as the main villain of the Upside Down, who is vanquished by Eleven and Joyce in a heroic climax. Yet, The First Shadow is about to change our view of Vecna entirely, despite the play’s connections to the main Stranger Things series known among much of the franchise’s fandom for the past two years.
It debuted on London’s West End in 2024, before moving to Broadway last year. But only a small minority of fans have been able to go and see the play, and there remains a debate about whether it should be considered canon, regardless of the confirmation from the Duffer Brothers.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow Is Coming To Netflix
Netflix is about to flip the script in relation to this stage spinoff, however, by releasing Stranger Things: The First Shadow as a movie on its streaming platform. As soon as this release appears side-by-side with the original series on Netflix, it will take on central importance in the lore of the whole franchise.
In an exclusive story on February 10, Collider revealed that the streaming giant is shooting a film version of the play this week. Indeed, Broadway performances of The First Shadow scheduled between Tuesday, February 10, and Saturday, February 14, have been canceled while shooting takes place.
While a release window for the movie hasn’t been announced just yet, we can expect it to drop on Netflix at some point in 2026 or 2027. In light of the rave reviews and numerous awards The First Shadow has received, this development is cause for serious excitement among Stranger Things fans.
How The First Shadow Changes The Stranger Things Finale
Set mostly during 1959, Stranger Things: The First Shadow tells the story of Henry Creel’s teenage years, long before he was transformed into Vecna. It directly connects to Stranger Things season 5, through its reference to the cave which appears as a terrifying place in Vecna’s memory during the fourth episode of the season.
Yet, The First Shadow also dramatically changes our perception of Vecna in general, from how we see him in the TV show’s final season. In this upcoming Netflix movie, Peel will be portrayed largely as an innocent victim possessed and manipulated by the Mind Flayer, rather than as the principal villain in Hawkins.
The prequel’s story will shed light on Dr. Brenner’s role in the origins of the Upside Down, too, through his involvement in the 1943 USS Eldridge experiments. Perhaps most shockingly of all, it will draw a personal connection between Vecna and two of the Party in the main series, Joyce and Hopper.
Why Stranger Things Season 5 Didn’t Reference The Broadway Play
Although the cave reference draws a connection between The First Shadow and Stranger Things season 5, the TV show generally avoids links to the story of the stage play. The Duffer Brothers were careful to block any Stranger Things spoilers from appearing on Broadway, but their efforts don’t explain why the series scarcely features any callbacks to the play.
Apparently, the creators and showrunners of the Netflix series were aware that most Stranger Things fans would never get to see The First Shadow onstage, so they didn’t want to confuse them with references to the prequel. Nevertheless, anyone who’s seen the TV show’s final season will be in for a shock when they watch the play’s movie adaptation.
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- Created by
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Matt Duffer, Ross Duffer
- First TV Show
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Stranger Things
- Latest TV Show
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Stranger Things
- Upcoming TV Shows
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Stranger Things, Stranger Things Animated Series
- First Episode Air Date
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July 15, 2016
- Cast
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Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, Jamie Campbell Bower
The Stranger Things franchise is a cultural phenomenon that blends supernatural horror with nostalgic 1980s references. Created by the Duffer Brothers, the series follows the residents of Hawkins, Indiana, as they face the terrifying realities of a parallel dimension known as the Upside Down. Since its debut in 2016, Stranger Things has become one of Netflix’s most popular and critically acclaimed series, spawning multiple spin-offs and expansions, including an animated series and a stage play.