Netflix to film the Broadway production
Netflix is set to professionally film Stranger Things: The First Shadow, the stage prequel to the hit series, for a future release. To accommodate the filming, one week of Broadway performances has been canceled — from Tuesday, February 10 through Saturday, February 14 — allowing the production to stage and record the show without public audiences during that stretch. No release date for the filmed version has been announced.
What the play explores: Vecna’s origin story
Stranger Things: The First Shadow dramatizes the origin of Henry Creel Jr., the teenage psychokinetic whose adult self becomes the series’ villain Vecna. The story follows Henry as his extraordinary abilities appear and intensify while a mysterious presence from another dimension pulls at him. The narrative also tracks a young Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers investigating strange occurrences in Hawkins, and Dr. Martin Brenner of Hawkins National Laboratory taking a troubling interest in Henry.
The play connects the genesis of Henry’s powers to his father’s service aboard the USS Eldridge, tying into the lore of the alleged World War II-era “Philadelphia Experiment.” As the plot unfolds, Henry faces the first stirrings of romance and the escalating loss of control over forces that threaten to consume him and those around him.
Creative team and theatrical pedigree
The stage piece was scripted by Kate Trefry from a story by Trefry alongside Matt and Ross Duffer, with additional writing by British playwright Jack Thorne. Direction has been led by Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin. The production opened in London’s West End in 2023 and arrived on Broadway the following year.
On Broadway, the production earned critical recognition at the Tony Awards, taking home trophies for scenic design, lighting, and sound, and receiving a special Tony in recognition of its impressive special effects.
Cast details and what the filmed version will include
The filmed performances will feature the Tony-winning production’s principal Broadway cast. Notable cast members include Louis McCartney, T.R. Knight (known for Grey’s Anatomy), Gabrielle Nevaeh (That Girl Lay Lay), and Alex Breaux, who previously appeared in the fifth season of the Stranger Things series in a different role. Recording the production with this cast preserves the staging and performances that received acclaim on Broadway.
Why a filmed stage production matters
Recording a major stage production provides wider access to a theatrical experience that otherwise requires travel, significant expense, or securing limited tickets. For a franchise as globally popular as Stranger Things, a filmed version of The First Shadow makes this chapter of the story — which expands on the mythology of Vecna and Hawkins — available to viewers who cannot attend West End or Broadway performances.
Filmed theatrical releases also capture elaborate technical elements designed for live performance. Given the play’s Tony recognition for design, lighting, sound, and effects, a professionally shot version can preserve the spectacle and make it viewable in home formats while maintaining the creators’ intent.
Availability and next steps
Netflix has commissioned the filming but has not announced a release date or distribution details. Further announcements about when and how the filmed production will be available on the streamer should be expected in the coming months.