Duffer Brothers Didn’t Want Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 To ‘Interfere’ With the Original Show

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 showrunner Eric Robles took to heart the advice that the Duffer Brothers gave him. With the new animated spinoff, they made it clear that it shouldn’t step on the toes of the original series and that the goal is to expand the world without messing up the timeline or the story.

Speaking with ComicBook, Robles reveals what Matt and Ross Duffer told him:

The Duffer Brothers said, as long as you don’t interfere with the main canon show, and you kind of allow yourself to have fun in this alternate little space here, then go for it. Have fun, and if you have fun and you create great adventures, the audience will accept it.

Robles stressed the need to honor the original show, placing the animated spinoff in a “frozen” window between Seasons 2 and 3, where they could explore as much as they want without moving the canon’s core pieces.

Is Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 Canon? Showrunner Reveals

Whether the animated series counts as canon is still up for debate, but Robles confirmed that the characters themselves are very much canon.

He added that the final word rests with the Duffer Brothers, who can choose which elements of the spinoff become official. Ultimately, the story’s place in the franchise may evolve over time, shaped in part by how fans and critics respond.

In a conversation with MovieWeb, the showrunner explained:

How the stories are evolving, and how big this thing can get, depending on the love, and if everybody wants more of this stuff, then it just starts becoming an organic thing of itself. It starts telling its own narrative. So I can’t say if it’s canon, because I don’t at this point know, it’s just growing into this organic, fun story. But what is canon is the personalities, it is the characters.

The Duffer Brothers had been very supportive of the project since day one. They were happy with the direction, praising Robles and his team for capturing the spirit of the original show.

They also commended the spinoff’s tone and visual style, which channels the look and feel of classic ’80s cartoons. This decision works well for them because, despite its monster-horror roots, the story comes to life through striking 3D animation that can appeal to both younger viewers and longtime fans.

Stranger Things Producer Teases Unseen Story in Animated Spinoff

Shawn Levy, a franchise executive producer from the very beginning, reveals what the animated spinoff brings to the table. Set in the interval of Seasons 2 and 3, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 promises stories fans never saw in the live-action series. He tells The Hollywood Reporter:

You’re not getting a watered-down continuation of the show you’ve watched and loved. You’re getting a different tone, a different visual style. It’s filling in blanks of mythology and timeline that you’ve never gotten in what we call ‘the mothership,’ the original show.

Levy says that this isn’t an animated version of the Stranger Things show, but very much its own tone and style.

What this reveals to us is that the creators are not simply extending the franchise in a different medium but actively trying to carve out a separate identity that can stand on its own. Nostalgia plays a huge part here, but they are also trying to see what else they can do without messing with the timeline.

What to Expect in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85?

Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 returns to Hawkins, where our beloved characters are set to investigate a supernatural mystery involving strange new monsters. The spinoff promises to stay true to the original’s spooky roots but will set a different ambiance this time.

The animation is rendered in a brighter, more vibrant visual style, making it more appealing to the general audience. The story takes place between Seasons 2 and 3, after the Mind Flayer event and before the Starcourt Mall disaster.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the new spinoff is that this particular event doesn’t seem to be mentioned in the later seasons. This would leave us asking how this version of the timeline can exist without the kids ever bringing it up. Robles explained via IGN:

First of all, I didn’t know that the show was going to exist while that was going on, but at the same time, the kids have bigger things to worry about. By the time you’re getting to Season 4, you’re worrying about Vecna. You’re worrying about bigger things than pumpkin creatures… And a lot of times they don’t go back reminiscing about too many things that happen in [previous] seasons.

This explains why the events in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 seem to have been forgotten, though the spinoff has yet to premiere, and fans have yet to decide whether these events should have at least been referenced in the original series.

TV Show:	Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
Based on:	Stranger Things by The Duffer Brothers
Showrunner:	Eric Robles
Release Date:	April 23, 2026
Episode Count:	10

Are you excited for the upcoming spinoff? Let us know in the comments!

Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 will premiere on Netflix on April 23, 2026 (USA).