Netflix Makes Broadway Debut With Stranger Things

After a successful run on London’s West End, Netflix is bringing the fully developed Stranger Things: The First Shadow to Broadway, a crossover that bridges the most recent season and the upcoming final season of the hit series.

The Big Picture: Over the past few years, Netflix has made a strong push into the experiences industry, including events, restaurants, activations, and, now, live performances. But this is the first time that one of its franchises has an interconnected storyline across formats, which could give creators a blueprint on how to expand their IP and eventize stories in the streaming age.

Behind the Curtain: Although the West End version of The First Shadow scored two Olivier Awards (Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Set Design) in 2024, the creative team notes that the play is now bigger, better, and more fleshed out for Broadway.

• The sci-fi/horror play, which just opened at the Marquis Theater, serves as an origin story for the show’s main villain, Henry Creel/Vecna.
• Director Stephen Daldry (The Crown), who initiated the idea to series creators The Duffer Brothers, built the show as both a standalone story and a bridge between seasons four and five, giving those who watch it an even richer experience.
• That necessitated first-time playwright Kate Trefry, who’s been working on the play since 2018 and has written for the show since season 2, to juggle plot points between the series and the play as both developed over several years.
• There are also some fun tidbits during the performance that mirror the Netflix-streaming experience, including pop-ups of the “Next Episode…” and “Watch Credits” buttons.

Final Bow: Netflix is really giving Stranger Things and The First Shadow the full 360 experience in the run-up to the show’s finale. For example, the company is selling exclusive merch that’s only available at First Shadow performances — including one special “artifact” that’s deliberately held back until intermission (or after the show) to avoid spoiling a major plot point from the first half. Talk about running a tight ship.

Whether The First Shadow will be a one-off experiment for Netflix or an ongoing revenue generator is yet to be determined. But considering that over 70% of West End audiences and Broadway preview attendees were first-time theatergoers, Netflix may not just be finding a new audience — it might be helping Broadway find one, too.