‘Stranger Things: Tales of ’85” Will Bring Back Eleven With New Actress

by

Fans who believe Mike’s account of events have wondered about Eleven’s survival despite her apparent death. Although the Duffer brothers have stated Eleven won’t appear in future seasons of Stranger Things, they haven’t ruled out her return in flashbacks or spin-off shows, like the new animated series.

Netflix has confirmed that the character Eleven will continue to appear in the Stranger Things universe. However, Millie Bobby Brown and the other young actors who previously played the characters will be replaced in a new series set between seasons 2 and 3. Although voice actors have successfully portrayed the same characters for many years in animated shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy, Tales from ’85 announced a completely new cast in November, as detailed below.

  • Brett Gipson as Jim Hopper
  • Luca Diaz as Mike Wheeler
  • Brooklyn Davey Norstedt as Eleven / Jane Hopper
  • Braxton Quinney as Dustin Henderson
  • Elisha Williams as Lucas Sinclair
  • Ben Plessala as Will Byers
  • Jolie Hoang-Rappaport as Max Mayfield

Because this series is part of a larger franchise, it was expected that characters who had died before would reappear. However, any future seasons taking place after Season 5 will not bring back characters who died during the show – and that definitely includes Eleven.

The Duffer Brothers Explain Eleven’s Death and Mike’s Story


Netflix

The finale of Stranger Things avoided killing off many characters, but Eleven’s apparent sacrifice – to prevent the government from using her DNA – seemed definitive. However, the final scene featured Mike suggesting she might have survived, leading many viewers to believe the creators had reversed what felt like the only impactful death of the season.

The creators of the show, the Duffer brothers, have explained the true meaning of the ending, and unfortunately, it’s not the outcome many viewers were hoping for. Matt Duffer recently shared details with Netflix, revealing…

We needed to face the truth about her life after everything that happened and figure out how she could move forward normally. Mike, being the hopeful one, chooses to believe that’s possible.

Subscribe for deeper Stranger Things newsletter coverage

The newsletter unpacks the Stranger Things franchise with focused coverage — clear analysis of endings and character choices, casting and spinoff tracking, and context that helps you follow where the universe goes next.

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s
Terms of Use
and
Privacy Policy
. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Ross Duffer explained that Eleven will remain a powerful memory for the characters, regardless of her physical presence. The writers wanted to preserve her abilities, as she embodies both magic and the innocence of childhood. Ultimately, they felt Eleven needed to step away for the story of Hawkins and the Upside Down to reach its conclusion and allow the characters to move forward.

We wanted our characters to hold onto hope for a happy ending, even if we didn’t definitively show them achieving it. We felt it was a more satisfying way to conclude the story and to capture their growth from childhood to adulthood, focusing on their belief itself as a form of closure.

Although Millie Bobby Brown likely won’t return as Eleven, the show Tales from ’85 suggests the character could reappear in future spinoffs that explore the show’s history. It appears the creators, the Duffer brothers, want to avoid revisiting the same characters and storylines repeatedly. This means upcoming spinoffs will likely focus on new stories and mysteries within the same universe, similar to the recently announced plot about a mysterious stone.

Read More

2026-01-03 17:48