Stranger Things season 5 is about to hit the big Marvel and Star Wars problem

Stranger things has been an easy TV show to follow – and I don’t mean that condescendingly.

There are many reasons for the global success of the Netflix series, but a big part of what has made it so compelling is its self-contained story. Until recently, Stranger things consisted of one TV show with one compelling, overarching story. So viewers who showed up late to the proverbial party didn’t get much content — outside Stranger things season 4 torrent and the three episodes that preceded it anyway – to catch up.

However, that will change before the end of the year. We already knew that the Stranger things franchise would expand beyond the scope of the main series, with a live-action spin-off and play in the works at Upside Down Pictures, the production company founded by Stranger thingscreators Matt and Ross Duffer.

Now Netflix has announced when its spin-off for the play – titled Stranger Things: The First Shadow – will debut. It’s coming to London’s West End in late 2023 and is based on an original story by the Duffer brothers. Stranger things writer Kate Trefry, and Are dark materialsJack Thorn. Set in 1959, the play is a prequel that will explore the backstory of Henry Creel, aka Vecna, in more detail. It will also star younger versions of fan-favorite characters Jim Hopper and Bob Newby, as well as an original character named Joyce Maldonado.

So we’ll be brand new Stranger things content before 2023 is over, which will help us until Stranger things season 5 is coming. Great, so what’s the problem? It’s a problem fans of Marvel and Star Wars are all too familiar with: needing to consume content beyond the main storyline of a movie or TV series to stay current.

You see, until Marvel Phase 4 arrived, the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) was like that Stranger things, easy to follow. The expansion of the MCU into television with shows like Loki Season 1 means fans will have to watch Marvel’s TV shows to understand what’s going on in future MCU movies.

For example, you need to know what is happening WandaVision to know why Scarlet Witch is the antagonist in Doctor Strange 2. Stream the first season of Loki before you see it Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumaniawill also help you fully appreciate the arrival of Kang the Conqueror and Quantumania‘s post-credits scenes.

It’s a problem that extends to the Star Wars TV lineup. The Mandalorian Season 3, which debuted on Disney Plus on March 1, 2023, follows suit Boba Fett’s book. So audiences need to stream Boba Fett’s standalone series first to see what’s going on in the premiere of The Mandalorian‘s third season. Okay, the opening episode summarizes elements Boba Fett’s book for those who haven’t tuned into the TV show with Temuera Morrison. Still, it’s not enough to fill those viewers up on everything, including why Din Djarin and Grogu are back together in The Mandalorian season 3 episode 1.

Some MCU and Star Wars fans simply don’t have the time to watch every movie or TV show in these franchises. So there is a risk that they will get confused when they watch the latest movie or show in the Marvel or Lucasfilm series.

And that’s a big problem Stranger things could come across, especially since the first spin-off will be a stage play. There will be British fans who don’t catch The first shadow before leaving the West End. Likewise, an international audience may not have the chance to watch it live depending on which city or country in the US they live in.

Subsequently, those fans will not be aware of every aspect of Henry Creel’s backstory Stranger things 5. The Netflix show’s final season could follow Star Wars’ example in briefly recapitulating what those fans of the play missed, but it won’t be thorough enough for viewers to get the full picture. Diehards who have followed Stranger things earn answers to the franchise’s greatest mysteries from day one. If Netflix reveals all behind some of the series’ biggest secrets in the play, some fans won’t be thrilled – and rightfully so.

I’m glad the Stranger things franchise evolves. I’m just so glad it’s continuing after the fifth season launches on the world’s top streaming service. However, if Stranger Things: The First Shadow contains important information about the lore of this universe that every fan should know, it will be hugely disappointing. Some fans’ only chance to catch up on what they missed is to read about these revelations online.

And that would be a shame. Fandoms are a big part of what makes movie series or TV shows so successful today, but there is the possibility that some Stranger things will feel left out of the conversation if a) they can’t see The first shadow and b) the play contains essential details about the lore of the franchise.

Even worse, they won’t be able to fully appreciate it Stranger things season 5 when it finally releases – Netflix says in a press release: “This gripping new adventure takes you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end”. If that is the case, Stranger things is in danger of following Marvel and Star Wars’ mistake of excluding – unintentionally or not – part of its fan base, and that doesn’t sit well with me.

For more entertainment-based coverage, read up on the best Netflix shows around. Or find out how to watch the Marvel movies in order or how to stream the Star Wars movies in order.