Picture: Netflix
Stranger Things is getting its first major documentary on Netflix! Ahead of the excellent stage play The First Shadow hitting Broadway in New York City, we’re getting an in-depth look at how the London iteration of the show came to be.
The show’s two creators, The Duffer Brothers, can be seen in the short trailer for the upcoming doc praising the stage show. “The first time we saw the play, we were blown away,” says Ross Duffer. “They pulled everything off, and then some. It was one of the most thrilling experiences of our lives,” adds Matt Duffer.
The feature-length documentary spans 1 hour and 25 minutes and is rated 15 for those in Europe and TV-MA in the US. Jon Halperin is the director behind the doc. Angus Wall, Kent Kubena, and Terry Leonard, with Matt Bell serving as executive producer.
It’s described as an “electrifying backstage documentary” that features insights from director Stephen Daldry, writer Kate Trefry, and others. We’ll also get insight from the team about how it expands the Hawkins universe all ahead of season 5 later this year.
A trailer has dropped for the new documentary that covers the UK West End production below:
We at What’s on Netflix attended a performance in 2024 and were gobsmacked and blown away by the production values and performances seen throughout. It’s a magical experience and surprisingly, adds quite a lot of important lore to the Netflix show, so if you are a Stranger Things fan and can make the trip and afford the tickets, it’s worth it. For those unaware, the stage play is a prequel to the main show, with it often dubbed “the origin story”. It focuses primarily on Henry Creel who eventually became Vecna.
Stranger Things season 5 is deep in post-production at the time of publishing, with an expected split release in Q4 2025 (we’re still hearing October and November). That’s in addition to various spin-offs currently in development or production, plus new projects from The Duffer Brothers and executive producer Shawn Levy that are presently in the works.
Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions produce Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The Duffer Brothers are the creative producers, and 21 Laps Entertainment is the associate producer.
Stranger Things: The First Shadow begins Friday, March 28, 2025, and the show officially opens Tuesday, April 22, 2025, at the Marquis Theatre in New York, USA. Tickets for the West End performance are still available with the show continuing throughout 2025.
Rating: TV-14
