Stranger Things Animated Series Introduces a New Hero

Netflix has revealed new character posters for Stranger Things: Tales From ’85, spotlighting a major new addition to the expanding Stranger Things universe. Among the highlights is Nikki Baxter, voiced by Odessa A’zion, a character positioned to play a central role in the animated series’ unfolding mystery.

Showrunner and executive producer Eric Robles described Nikki as the emotional anchor for audiences entering this new chapter of Hawkins.

“Nikki is the audience’s eyes,” Robles explains. “She comes into this world completely new. She’s got her own issues that she’s been dealing with, and it’s these kids who step into her world in a sense.”

As the strange events begin to escalate, Robles notes that Nikki cannot simply ignore what she witnesses. “She’s got to figure things out with the kids because there’s no way that she could just walk away [from what she’s seen] and pretend like it never happened.”

Release Date: April 23, 2026

Set during the winter of 1985, Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 returns viewers to Hawkins at a time when the immediate threat of the Upside Down appears to be fading. Snow blankets the town, and Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max attempt to resume normal teenage life filled with D&D sessions and quiet winter days.

However, beneath the surface, a new terror begins to emerge, one that may originate from the Upside Down, Hawkins Lab, or an entirely unknown source.

The series is led by Robles, with executive producers Matt and Ross Duffer via Upside Down Pictures, Shawn Levy through 21 Laps, Hilary Leavitt, and Dan Cohen. Animation production is handled by Flying Bark.

The voice cast includes Brooklyn Davey Norstedt (Eleven), Jolie Hoang-Rappaport (Max), Luca Diaz (Mike), Elisha “EJ” Williams (Lucas), Braxton Quinney (Dustin), Ben Plessala (Will), Brett Gipson (Hopper), Jeremy Jordan (Steve), with additional voices from Odessa A’zion, Janeane Garofalo, and Lou Diamond Phillips.