B&T had the pleasure of previewing Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 during a private screening at Flying Bark Studios’ headquarters in Sydney earlier this week.
The animation studio has partnered with Netflix to bring the new animated series to life, which officially launches today. The series is led by showrunner Eric Robles and executive producers the Duffer Brothers, expanding the Stranger Things universe into a new animated format.
Set in the winter of 1985, Hawkins is blanketed in snow and, on the surface, life appears to be returning to normal after the chaos of the Upside Down. Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas and Max are back in familiar routines of Dungeons & Dragons, snowball fights and quiet suburban days.
However, beneath the ice, something dark begins to stir. Whether it originates from the Upside Down, Hawkins Lab, or somewhere even more mysterious, the threat quickly escalates.
The group must reunite to uncover what’s happening and protect their town once again – this time in an animated reimagining of the beloved series.
The voice cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven, Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max, Luca Diaz as Mike, Elisha “EJ” Williams as Lucas, Braxton Quinney as Dustin, Benjamin Plessala as Will, Brett Gipson as Hopper and Jeremy Jordan as Steve. Additional voices include Odessa A’zion as Nikki Baxter, Janeane Garofalo as Anna Baxter and Lou Diamond Phillips as Daniel Fischer.
Behind the scenes, the scale of production highlights the ambition of the project, with millions of rendered images, over 18 million final frames and more than a million animation frames produced across 10 episodes.
Flying Bark Productions, headquartered in Sydney with studios in Los Angeles and Madrid, has built a global reputation for high-end animation across major international franchises. Its partnership with Netflix continues to expand, with the studio also working on upcoming animated projects including Clash of Clans and Minecraft.
Netflix Vice President of Animation Series + Kids & Family TV, John Derderian, said Flying Bark’s creative approach made them a natural fit for expanding the Stranger Things universe.
“From the very beginning, Flying Bark brought a level of craft, ambition, and creative clarity that made them the perfect partner to help us expand the world of Stranger Things in a fresh way,” he said.
Barbara Stephen, CEO of Flying Bark Productions, said the project reflects Australia’s growing role in global animation.
“Projects like Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 are proof that world-class animation is being made right here in Australia,” she said. “Partnering with Netflix and working on globally recognised IP has helped us expand our international footprint.”
She added that the collaboration is also strengthening local capability, with Australian artists gaining experience on large-scale international productions.
All 10 episodes of season one of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 are available from today, April 23, 2026.
