Netflix‘s animated Stranger Things spin-off arrives April 23, 2026, and it’s making one big change right out of the gate. The Hawkins gang is back, just not with the voices fans have spent four seasons getting attached to.
Every role in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 has been handed to new voice talent. No Millie Bobby Brown. No David Harbour. A completely fresh lineup takes over, and that casting decision has dominated fan conversation ahead of the premiere.
Male Voice Cast in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
A still from Stranger Things: Tales from 85 | Credits: Netflix
The core party is fully represented. Luca Diaz voices Mike Wheeler. Ben Plessala plays Will Byers. Braxton Quinney takes on Dustin Henderson, and Elisha “EJ” Williams steps in as Lucas Sinclair.
Brett Gipson voices Jim Hopper on the adult side. Jeremy Jordan plays Steve Harrington. Given Jordan’s vocal background, Steve’s humor-driven moments could translate well to animation.
The supporting cast carries some recognizable names. Lou Diamond Phillips joins in an undisclosed role. A Nightmare on Elm Street‘s Robert Englund voices a character named Cosmo. Entertainment Weekly reported his casting includes a built-in Freddy Krueger Easter egg, very on-brand for a show that has always worn its horror influences openly.
Female Voice Cast in Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
Brooklyn Davey Norstedt voices Eleven, the most scrutinized casting in the show. Jolie Hoang-Rappaport plays Max Mayfield, a character whose live-action arc hit fans hard in Season 4.
Odessa A’zion voices Nikki Baxter, a brand-new character created for this series. Netflix describes Nikki as a punk-rock outsider who slots into the group as its protector. She’s positioned as the audience’s entry point into Hawkins.
Janeane Garofalo rounds out the known female cast, though her role remains undisclosed.
CharacterVoice ActorNotable Past WorksElevenBrooklyn Davey NorstedtThis role marks her major mainstream acting debut.Mike WheelerLuca DiazErin & Aaron, Migration, Transformers: EarthSparkWill ByersBen PlessalaBig Little Lies, Shameless, American Auto, Castlevania: NocturneDustin HendersonBraxton QuinneyRegional musical theater (Matilda the Musical), voice work for Fisher Price Rescue HeroesLucas SinclairElisha “EJ” WilliamsThe Wonder Years (reboot), Puppy Dog PalsMax MayfieldJolie Hoang-RappaportWatchmen, Just Add Magic, Cousins for LifeJim HopperBrett GipsonNCIS, Shameless, S.W.A.T., The OfficeSteve HarringtonJeremy JordanSmash, Supergirl, Newsies (Broadway), Hazbin HotelNikki BaxterOdessa A’zionGrand Army, Fam, Hellraiser (2022), Until DawnTBALou Diamond PhillipsLa Bamba, Stand and Deliver, Longmire, Prodigal SonTBAJaneane GarofaloThe Truth About Cats & Dogs, Reality Bites, RatatouilleCosmo Robert EnglundA Nightmare on Elm Street (Freddy Krueger), Stranger Things Season 4 (Victor Creel)
What Is Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 About?
The series is set in winter 1985, landing between Seasons 2 and 3 of the flagship show. The gate to the Upside Down is closed. The kids are still in Hawkins. The story picks up from there.
Netflix has built the show with a Saturday-morning cartoon look, brighter visuals, a lighter tone, and a format designed to work for viewers who haven’t watched the original series. That accessibility angle appears deliberate.
The new voice cast carries the full weight of audience expectations. Those are large shoes to fill, and the premiere will settle whether this version of Hawkins earns its place alongside the original.
Got more questions about the animated spin-off? Here’s what fans are asking most ahead of the April 23 premiere.
Is Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 canon to the live-action series?
Yes. The Duffer Brothers have confirmed that the series is official canon. It is designed to fill in the narrative gaps between Season 2 and Season 3, specifically exploring the “missing” winter of 1985.
How many episodes are in the first season?
Netflix has confirmed that the first season consists of 10 episodes. Interestingly, while the show is animated, each episode maintains a cinematic runtime of approximately 60 minutes.
Who is the main villain of the animated series?
While the Mind Flayer’s influence remains, the core threat in Tales From ’85 involves a new breed of “vine-like” creatures and “pumpkin zombies” awakening beneath the frozen ground of Hawkins. There is also heavy speculation surrounding the character Cosmo (voiced by horror legend Robert Englund).
Are you on board with the new voice cast, or does Hawkins just not feel the same without the original actors? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 premieres April 23, 2026, and is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
