WATCH: The ‘Stranger Things’ prequel is coming. But how weird will it be?

Louis McCartney in the West End production of "Stranger Things: The First Shadow"Louis McCartney in the West End production of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.” Photo by Manuel Harlan.
Things are, shall we say, unsettling in Hawkins, Indiana. The year is 1959, and the Creel family has relocated to the small town to help teen Henry escape his “troubled past.” The new story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Kate Trefry, is a prequel to the hit Netflix series and wowed audiences when it debuted in London in December 2023.

The production jumps the pond to arrive on Broadway, with previews beginning March 28 and an opening set for April 22—just in time for Tony Awards consideration in what’s proving to be a crowded season.
The cast of the West End production of "Stranger Things: The First Shadow."
Much has been surmised about LGBTQ+ visibility in the series, with fans and critics alike debating whether the TV series is queer-coded or queer-baiting.

In an interview with Variety during the height of the series’ success, actor Noah Schnapp, who played Will, the character in question, said, “I feel like they never really address it or blatantly say how Will is. I think that’s the beauty of it, that it’s just up to the audience’s interpretation, if it’s Will kind of just refusing to grow up and growing up slower than his friends, or if he is really gay.”

Will doesn’t even appear in the prequel stage iteration, but with a cast of 34, we can only hope that out director Stephen Daldry (the creative force behind the epic theatrical saga The Inheritance, for which he won a Tony Award) may imbue the piece with some queer sensibility.

The play also stars T.R. Knight (Grey’s Anatomy) as Victor Creel, Henry’s father, serving daddy vibes for his fifth Broadway production.

Here’s a first look at Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Tickets are now on sale.

Related Posts

Two ordinary Brits, once known as a construction worker and a football fan, now stare down Indonesia’s death penalty. Families back home cry “they were tricked”

Two ordinary blokes from the quiet town of Chichester are now staring death in the face, caught in the iron grip of Indonesia’s merciless war on drugs….

💥 THE TRAILER EVERY FAN IS TALKING ABOUT! Mel & Jack’s Family Dream Comes True in Virgin River Season 7… Until ONE SHOCKING MOMENT Changes Everything 😱🌲

Virgin River fans, brace yourselves—the Season 7 Episode 1 trailer has landed, and it’s a heart-pounding, tear-jerking ride that promises to shake up the small-town drama we’ve…

⚖️🔥 LINCOLN LAWYER SEASON 4 IS HERE! The Game-Changer Fans Have Been BEGGING For — And Netflix Just Confirmed the Arrival of a Missing Character Who Could Blow Everything Wide Open 💥📚👀

Buckle up, because The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4 is roaring onto Netflix with a promise to redefine the series. This isn’t just another chapter in the saga…

💥👀 THE CANYON IS ABOUT TO ERUPT! Season 2 of Ransom Canyon Brings MORE Secrets, MORE Betrayal, And A Cast Shake-Up That Changes Everything Forever 💔🌪️

The dust is about to rise again in Ransom Canyon — and this time, nothing will be the same. Netflix has officially confirmed that Season 2 is…

🎬❤️ Nobody Wants This Season 2 Is Almost Here — But Joanne & Noah’s Love Story Is About To Face Its Toughest Test Yet… Will Love Win, Or Will Faith, Family, And New Rivals Tear Them Apart? 👀✨ 👉 Find out what Netflix is hiding about the October 23rd premiere!

The wait is almost over for fans of Nobody Wants This, Netflix’s breakout romantic comedy that captured hearts with its witty dialogue, irresistible chemistry, and heartfelt exploration…

‘I Want to See My Platinum Jubilee—Can You Keep Me Alive Until Then?’ Inside Queen Elizabeth’s Secret Battle with Cancer, Her Final Days, Harry’s Painful Arrival, and Why Meghan Was Left Out

As the world celebrated Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022—marking an unprecedented 70 years on the throne—few knew the heartbreaking truth behind the monarch’s unwavering smile:…