Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions filmed the Broadway production for future streaming release
Credit: Manuel Harlan
NEED TO KNOW
- Stranger Things: The First Shadow will wrap up its runs in London and New York by early 2027
- The play has earned critical acclaim, including Olivier and Tony Awards for its groundbreaking theatrical achievements
- Netflix filmed the Broadway production for future streaming, marking its first live theater venture tied to a TV franchise
The curtain is officially coming down on Stranger Things: The First Shadow.
Producers have announced that the critically acclaimed stage prequel to Netflix's blockbuster series Stranger Things has extended for a final time, with performances now set to conclude at London's Phoenix Theatre on Dec. 27, 2026, and at Broadway's Marquis Theatre on Jan. 3, 2027.
The production will close after a landmark run that has seen it become one of the most celebrated theatrical adaptations of a television property ever mounted. Since premiering in London's West End in 2023, The First Shadow has earned widespread acclaim and numerous honors, including Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment and Best Set Design.
The show's success continued after its transfer to Broadway, where it became the most Tony Award-winning play of 2025. The production earned four Tony Awards, including Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Lighting Design of a Play, Best Sound Design of a Play and a Special Tony Award for Illusions and Technical Effects.
According to producers, nearly 1.6 million tickets have been sold across both productions, with more than 1,500 performances staged to date.
Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Created as a collaboration between Netflix and the theater world, Stranger Things: The First Shadow marked the streaming giant's first venture into live theater.
Written by Kate Trefry from an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Trefry, the play explores the origins of a young Henry Creel, the boy who would go on to become the show's ultimate villain, Vecna (played on screen by Jamie Campbell Bower).
Unlike traditional stage adaptations or spinoffs, The First Shadow became required viewing for devoted fans, with revelations from the play feeding directly into the story of Stranger Things' fifth and final season. It was a first-of-its-kind example of a theatrical production serving as essential canon for a major television franchise.
Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Matt and Ross Duffer, the creators of Stranger Things, reflected on the production's impact in a statement.
"When the legendary Stephen Daldry first came to us with the idea of making a Stranger Things play, we were stunned — both by the fact that Stephen wanted to do this, and that he believed it could work. And boy, did it work," they said.
The brothers praised the creative team behind the production, calling it "cinematic theater unlike anything else out there," and noted that many audience members were experiencing Broadway for the first time through the show.
"We'd also like to give a standing ovation to the incredibly gifted actors who stepped into these roles — including the Tony-nominated Louis McCartney — and to the fans, who made each and every performance so memorable," they added.
Credit: Matthew Murphy
Trefry also reflected on the , calling the opportunity to expand the story of Henry Creel through live theater "the thrill of a lifetime."
"It has been a magical, terrifying ride," she said. "To share the communal experience of every laugh, tear, and scare with your audience is every writer's dream."
Directors Stephen Daldry and Justin Martin thanked fans, too, for embracing the production, particularly those who had never before attended a theater performance. "To be entrusted with bringing The Duffer Brothers' incredible creation to the stage has been an utter joy," they said in a joint statement.
Credit: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Though it's now closing, Stranger Things: The First Shadow will have a life beyond the stage.
Back in February, PEOPLE reported that Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions filmed the Broadway production for future streaming release. To accommodate shooting, the production has canceled one week of performances, from Tuesday, Feb. 10 through Saturday, Feb. 14.
No timeline or additional details have been announced for the airing yet. A making-of special about the Broadway show is now streaming on Netflix.
Tickets for Stranger Things: The First Shadow are now on sale.
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