Stranger Things' Prequel Bound To Repeat Harry Potter And The Curse Child's Success

Connecting the "Harry Potter" franchise to Netflix's long-lived "Stranger Things" series might be easier than one thinks at first blush. Sure, they're both fantasy franchises that feature adolescent protagonists who grow up over the course of their individual series. But an even stronger tie — one that binds the upcoming "Stranger Things" prequel stage play "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" to the Broadway production "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child" — looms on the horizon. For Strangers Thing Day, November 6, Netflix Geeked discussed the project on X, formerly known as Twitter, and it appears both productions share several notable crewmembers. 

Sonia Friedman produced both plays, and Jack Thorne had a hand in adapting each concept for the stage. Co-illusions and visual effects designers Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher worked on both projects, as did Gary Beestone, a technical advisor. It looks like the producers of "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" are determined to bring a little bit of that Potter magic to the stage when performances begin in late November in London, England. Another way they're hoping to build up fan enthusiasm for the play? The show will be centered around several characters "Stranger Things" fans have already come to know and love.

"Stranger Things: The First Shadow" will feature many characters from the Netflix series back when they were teenagers or young adults. Among them will be Chief Hopper (Shane Attwooll) and James Hopper Jr. (Oscar Lloyd). The Creel family will also be heavily involved in the plotline. Having just moved to their new and someday infamous house, Henry (Louis McCartney) will be a new student at Joyce Maldonado's (Isabella Pappas) high school, while parents Virginia (Lauren Ward) and Victor (Michael Jibson) try to forge a fresh future from the ashes of their past. As Joyce stands on the cusp of graduation and realizes her dream of leaving Hawkins forever, the Creel family will soon become subject to supernatural horrors that will tear them apart forever.

Meanwhile, Bob Newby (Christopher Buckley) tries to launch a radio show, even though his sister, Patty (Ella Karuna Williams), doesn't have much faith in his dreams. The play will also feature Charles Sinclair (Ammar Duffus), Sue Anderson (Kemi Awoderu), Chase Brown (Lonnie Byers), and many others.

Fans will only have to wait a little bit longer to find out what the play is like; tickets for "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" are currently on sale, with the first preview scheduled for November 17, and the opening slated for December 14.