Just when fans thought ‘Stranger Things’ had closed the book on Hawkins, Netflix is quietly reopening it, and not in a small way. The streaming giant is turning ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’, the successful stage play, into a movie.
And by doing so, it can fundamentally redefine the perception of the audience towards the ultimate villain of the saga.
The Prequel Could Change ‘Stranger Things’ Ending
‘The First Shadow’, which discussed the teenage years of Henry Creel, was first staged in the West End of London in 2024 and then transferred to Broadway, long before he became Vecna. So far, theatergoers were the only ones who were privy to its revelations.
Taking the story to Netflix, where it will be placed next to the main series, immediately raises its importance.
Related: ‘Stranger Things’ Finale Wasn’t The End For Hawkins, It Was A Brief Pause
It is already in production, and Broadway performances have been briefly halted to allow filming. Although it is not yet known when the movie will be released, it is likely to be released in 2026 or 2027, and it may radically change the way viewers perceive the ending of the show. In the first season, Vecna became the mathematical mastermind behind Hawkins’ misery. However, ‘The First Shadow’ is a much more complex picture.
‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ Alters The Franchise’s Vecna Mythology
‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ is mostly set in 1959, and it portrays Henry Creel as a troubled and yet vulnerable teenager who is being manipulated by the Mind Flayer. Instead of making him the only mastermind, the story indicates that he might have been influenced, even used by the darker forces that he could not control. It is a transformation that makes the lines of villainy blur and allows an unexpected amount of sympathy.
In case you missed it: 10 ‘Stranger Things’ Questions the Finale Never Answered
The movie also covers more in-depth coverage of Dr. Brenner’s experiments, including links to the enigmatic USS Eldridge project. As is typical of ‘Stranger Things’, the mythology becomes increasingly complex, weaving together government secrets, supernatural horror, and personal tragedy. Most interestingly, perhaps, the prequel creates unforeseen connections between Henry and well-known characters like Joyce and Hopper.
To longtime fans, that revelation is enough to get theorizing going indefinitely. Interestingly, season 5 of ‘Stranger Things’ made only slight allusions to the action of the stage play, with only a few hints, such as the haunting cave imagery that we see in Vecna’s menokoires. Now it’s clear that the restraint was intentional.
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