‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’: New BTS Video Teases Vecna’s Origin Story!! Check It Out!!

It’s officially Stranger Things Day! While fans are still waiting for the fifth and final season of the popular Netflix horror series to debut, the franchise’s first-ever stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to debut in London’s West End with previews kicking off in just a few weeks. Now, in honor of this chillingly fun day, the prequel to the entire Stranger Things universe has unleashed a new featurette teasing fans about what they can expect from the play’s 1950s-set story.

The three-minute-long behind-the-scenes look has Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers literally setting the stage for The First Shadow. The play will expand upon the story of Henry Creel’s childhood and how it relates to other well-established franchise characters like Hopper, Joyce, and Bob along with newly introduced characters like Patty Newby (Bob’s sister) played by Ella Karuna Williams. As writer Kate Trefry reveals, Patty will have a romantic connection to Henry as our other fan-favorite characters try to figure out how to survive high school in Hawkins in 1959. As Stranger Things fans know by now, Henry would go on to become the franchise’s big bad Number One aka Vecna. The First Shadow is the origin of Henry’s villainous turn ahead of his confrontation with Eleven and the discovery of The Upside Down. There also couldn’t be a better team to tell this story. With director Stephen Daldry and co-director Justin Martin leading the charge, The Duffer Brothers labeled the crew the “dream team” as a majority of them have won multiple Tonys.

Also, just because this is the first time Stranger Things has hit the stage doesn’t mean it’s leaving behind the franchise’s signature horror. Jamie Harrison, Co-Illusion designer and visual effects, has ensured that the play will have a ton of blood and guts along with a handful of grueling monsters. If that wasn’t enough, there are going to be an endless amount of Easter eggs for long-time fans to sink their teeth into.

‘Stranger Things’ Is Mainstream Horror at its Finest

While it’ll just be exciting to see characters like Hopper and Joyce as teenagers, like the featurette alludes to, horror is a genre that doesn’t frequently get the spotlight in theater. Stranger Things helped propel horror back into the mainstream on television when it debuted in 2016 with its great blend of rich characters, throwback genre appeal, and scary good visuals. The First Shadow has the potential to do the same for the stage. Season 4 added a ton of compelling lore to The Upside Down with the Creel House and Vecna. It’s going to be interesting to see how they continue what they set up in that epic season. Especially since Season 5 is expected to kick into high gear once the actor’s strike ends the AMPTP offers the labor force a fair deal.

When Does ‘The First Shadow’ Premiere?

Stranger Things: The First Shadow opens in London’s West End at the Phoenix Theatre on December 14, with previews beginning on November 17. The large ensemble cast includes Williams, Isabella Pappas, Oscar Lloyd, Christopher Buckley, Patrick Vaill, and Louis McCartney. You can buy your tickets now on the show’s official website and select seats are available at a lower cost. Also, be on the lookout for throwbacks on Stranger Things’ social media pages throughout the day as they celebrate the first four seasons of the Netflix series. All episodes of Stranger Things are currently available to stream on Netflix. Check out the new teaser for The First Shadow below.