In case you haven’t had the opportunity to pop over to the West End and catch Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Sonia Friedman Productions and Netflix are pulling fans into Hawkins in a trailer that brings the action directly to your screen. The teaser comes along with the exciting announcement that the play has extended its run at the legendary Phoenix Theatre into 2025, giving audiences outside the U.K. a longer timeframe to hop over to London, and further pushing those close by to pick up tickets while they still can. This marks the first time the top-tier and one-of-a-kind theatrical special effects have been on film and unveil what can now be made possible on the stages of Broadway and beyond.
Featuring performances from Louis McCartney, Isabella Pappas, Oscar Lloyd, and Christopher Buckley, the trailer follows the Creel family as they move to Hawkins, Indiana in 1959 for “a fresh start.” Of course, fans of the uber-popular sci-fi series know that nothing but horror and heartache await the unsuspecting family. Although Henry Creel (McCartney) tries to convince himself and others that he’s just a normal boy, there’s so much more to the young man than meets the eye and soon, the dazzling effects show viewers exactly what that means. There are plenty of true-to-the-series moments like neon red lights, peeks into the Upside Down, and even a Demogorgon as Henry tries to outrun his shadow only to fall deeper into darkness. Serving as Henry/Vecna’s origin story, the theater piece features several prominent characters from the Stranger Things universe, including Joyce Byers, Jim Hopper Jr., and Bob Newby.
Filling out the ensemble cast are names that include Shane Attwooll (Kingdom of Heaven), Kemi Awoderu (Death on the Nile), Chase Brown (Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny), Ammar Duffus (Twelfth Night), Gilles Geary (Archive 81), Florence Guy (Over Her Shoulder), Max Harwood (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Michael Jibson (Panic Button), Matthew Pidgeon (Mary Queen of Scots), and more.
Who’s Behind ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’?
Firstly, it’s important to note that the stage play is canon in the universe of Stranger Things. Not only did The Duffer Brothers give their blessing, but the pair acted as creative producers and also co-penned the original story alongside Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry. The production is under the visual eye of three-time Tony Award-winning director, Stephen Daldry, whose previous theatrical work includes The Inheritance and Skylight. Daldry is also an Academy Award-nominated filmmaker, having brought audiences the cinematic adaptation of Billy Elliot, as well as other titles including The Hours.
Check out the trailer for the box-office smashing, award-winning play above and secure your tickets now for the extended run of Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
via Collider