Tales from ’85 Early in Theaters in the US

The world of Stranger Things is expanding with an all-new animated series, Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85, set to premiere globally on Netflix on April 23. But for the most dedicated fans, the adventure begins even sooner. 

On Saturday, April 18, Netflix is hosting a special “Stranger Saturday” event, giving fans across the United States the chance to be the first to see the opening two episodes of the new series on the big screen. 

This is the second major time Stranger Things has been in theaters, with the season 5 finale hitting theaters across the United States and other select territories on New Year’s Day. It comes as Netflix cozies up to theater chains with limited stunt events, albeit they’ve still ruled out, at least for the moment, any permanent move into theaters with robust windows. Narnia is the other major Netflix project heading to theaters in 2026 with a planned Thanksgiving release.

Screenings will be held in partnership with AMC Theatres at 34 locations across the U.S., with showtimes at 12:00 PM and 3:00 PM local time. Additional screenings will take place at the iconic Paris Theater in New York and at the newly opened Netflix House in Philadelphia. As a special bonus, attendees at U.S. locations will receive an exclusive collectible, available while supplies last.

How to Get Your Tickets

Mark your calendars and set your alarms! Tickets for the “Stranger Saturday” screenings go on sale Wednesday, March 18 at 8 AM PT.

• For AMC Theatres locations: Visit AMCTheatres.com for a full list of participating cities and to book your seats.
• For the Paris Theater screening: Visit ParisTheaterNYC.com.
• For the Netflix House Philadelphia screening: Visit Netflix.com/House.

What is Stranger Things: Tales From ‘85 About?

The new animated series is set in the winter of 1985, placing it between the events of Seasons 2 and 3. After Eleven closed the gate to the Upside Down, a sense of normalcy has returned to the town. Our favorite heroes—Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max—are enjoying a life of D&D, snowball fights, and quiet days. Peace never lasts long in Hawkins, though. A new, terrifying threat awakens beneath the ice. Is it a monster from the Upside Down? A secret from the depths of Hawkins Lab? Or something else entirely? The gang must reunite to solve the mystery and save their town once again.

Developed by showrunner Eric Robles and executive produced by the Duffer Brothers, the series aims to capture the feel of the classic Saturday-morning cartoons many grew up with although whether it’s canon or not is still up for debate. Some of Netflix’s official writings suggest it is, but it’ll have a lot of explaining to do to connect the dots and not leave overarching cliffhangers.

The show’s first season premieres globally on Netflix on April 23rd, 2026, at the normal time of 12:01 am PT.