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Stranger Things: The First Shadow is an exciting stage play that serves as a prequel to the popular Netflix series, Stranger Things. The play was written by Kate Trefry, based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne, and Trefry. It brings fans back to the past, exploring the origins of some well-known characters from the show.

The play first premiered at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End. It began previews on November 17, 2023, and officially opened on December 14, 2023. The production received great reviews from critics and fans alike.

The show was directed by Stephen Daldry, with Justin Martin as co-director. The creative team included top professionals in set design, costumes, lighting, sound, and visual effects, making the experience truly immersive.

The West End cast featured:

Oscar Lloyd as James Hopper Jr. Isabella Pappas as Joyce Maldonado Chris Buckley as Bob Newby Louis McCartney as Henry Creel Patrick Vaill as Dr.

Fans of action movie icon Jason Statham can revisit his heist movie that's nearly two decades old. At the start of next month, the film is getting a new streaming home.

Statham's The Bank Job is set to start streaming on Max on Feb. 1. Originally released in 2008, the heist thriller is based on the true story of the infamous 1971 burglary known as the "Baker Street robbery." The film earned respectable reviews, scored at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. It made over $66 million worldwide at the box office against a budget of $20 million.

Related David Ayer May Have Quietly Confirmed More Jason Statham Collabs After Upcoming Beekeeper Replacement

David Ayer may be hinting at more collaborations with The Beekeeper star Jason Statham after their next film together.

Roger Donaldson directed The Bank Job, which was written by Dick Clement and Ian La Frenais. Statham stars in the lead role, with the film's other actors including Saffron Burrows,...

Jason Statham is the darling of streaming right now, and another of his decade-old action thrillers is back on top with the 2008 heist movie The Bank Job holding a strong position near the top of the Starz global movie chart. Led by the ever-popular Brit and directed by Roger Donaldson, the plot centers on a real-life 1971 robbery that took place in London and has baffled authorities for decades and is the perfect vehicle for Statham, even if he doesn’t get to go vigilante this time around.

Being inspired by true events, the film was a more intriguing title in Statham’s catalog of gangster movies and no-brainer action flicks, and that seemed to help it become a box office success and made it one of Statham’s most underrated and overlooked performances. The plot sees Statham playing small-time crook Terry Leather, who takes on a job without expecting to...

Aidan Gillen (Games Of Thrones) and Kate Phillips (Peaky Blinders) have signed on to star in the horror film Black Noise from Blunt Pictures and NoW Films.

Described as a “hallucinogenic horror,” the film will be directed by Simon Blake and produced by Colette Delaney-Smith.

Aidan plays Hector the eldest member of the wealthy Livingstone family returning for a memorial meal to celebrate his father’s life. Phillips will play the lead role of Leda, a journalist attending the meal, but her true intentions to seek justice diverge with The Butler, a man with revenge very much on his mind.

Also starring are Tom Mothersdale (Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light), Rebecca Calder (I May Destroy You), Michael Jibson (Last Night In Soho), Jeanie Hackman (The Death of Bunny Munro), and Whitstable Pearl (Acorn).

Principal photography begins in Suffolk and London this month.

Producer Colette Delany-Smith describes the film as a “haunting,...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End back in December. The show has been breaking box office records and won several awards, and in 2025, it will be making the jump to Broadway. Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. Now, Variety reports that the actor who will be playing the character of Henry Creel in the Broadway production is the same actor who has been playing him in London’s West End, Louis McCartney! This will be McCartney’s Broadway debut. His final performance in the West End production will be on November 10th.

A while back, Deadline heard...

You have no doubt heard the phrase "stranger than fiction" before, but seldom has that statement rung more genuine than with the real-life story behind one of Jason Statham's most underrated and forgotten thrillers, The Bank Job. In 2008, director Roger Donaldson helmed this bombastic heist film, which based the details of its story on the infamous 1971 Baker Street Robbery that transpired in London, England.

In The Bank Job, the film's titular heist is masterminded by a woman named Martine Love (Saffron Burrows), a former model turned criminal who convinces a team of like-minded individuals to rob a bank containing a series of safe deposit boxes, some of which hold within them significantly compromising images. Along with those very personal items, experts estimate that the thieves made off with an additional 1.25 to 3 million. The true purpose of this daring heist remains shrouded in mystery, but if The Bank Job is to be believed,...

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Time travel is one of the most popular sub-genres in films and TV shows. Both fantasy and sci-fi genre fans are probably already in love with time travel content. The most compelling thing about time is that it can used in various ways from time loop stories like Groundhog Day and changing the past stories like Terminator. So, we thought of compiling a list of all the best time travel shows on Netflix you should check out.

Travelers Credit – Netflix

Travelers is a sci-fi thriller drama series created by Brad Wright. The Netflix series follows the story of a group of people who send their consciousness back in time to the 21st century in other people’s bodies from a post-apocalyptic world so that they can save the world from a terrible future. Travelers stars Eric McCormack, Reilly Dolman,...

While we wait for the final season of Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” we’ve learned this week that the live stage play “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is coming to Broadway.

The critically acclaimed, Olivier Award-winning, “mega five-star hit” (Sunday Times) play will begin performances Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at Broadway’s Marquis Theatre (210 West 46th Street).

Based on an original story by the Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, and rooted in the mythology and world of the Netflix global phenomenon, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is a new play written by Kate Trefry, directed by Stephen Daldry and co-directed by Justin Martin.

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is described as “a new story live on stage,” and it’s set in Hawkins, 1959. “The First Shadow” takes place “before the world turned upside down.”

Hailed by the Daily Telegraph as “The West End Event of...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End back in December. The show has been breaking box office records and recently won several awards, so its run has been extended into 2025… and now Deadline has broken the news that the show will also be coming to Broadway next year! Stranger Things: The First Shadow is set to begin previews at the Marquis Theatre on Friday, March 28, 2025 and officially open on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

A while back, Deadline heard that Stranger Things: The First Shadow “will be the first instalment in a trilogy exploring the dark underbelly of Hawkins, Indiana. Breaking Baz can reveal parts two and three are set to follow the inaugural play in two or three year intervals,...

While we have already made a list of the best of the best movies coming to Prime Video in August, those are not the only films you should look out for as the Amazon-owned streaming service is also bringing you a lot of original and licensed new content in the upcoming month, from an animated Batman series to the highly anticipated new season of Prime Video’s flagship fantasy series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. So, we picked out the 7 best new movies and TV shows coming to Prime Video in August 2024.

Batman: Caped Crusader (August 1)

Batman: Caped Crusader is an animated action-adventure superhero series created by J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves, and Bruce Timm. The upcoming Prime Video series is set in what looks to be the 1930s or 1940s and it follows the story of the Dark Knight in a crime-filled Gotham, as he fights...

Prime Video debuted the official trailer and key art for The Mallorca Files Season 3 today. The all-new season will launch on August 8 exclusively on Prime Video, including the U.S., UK, Germany, Australia, and Mexico.

All eight episodes will be available on premiere day. The first two seasons are currently available on the free streaming service Amazon Freevee in the U.S., the UK, and Germany. Starting August 1, select Prime Video customers will also be able to watch Seasons One and Two.

Set on the sun-drenched and glamorous Spanish island of Mallorca, The Mallorca Files centers around ambitious British detective Miranda Blake and her laid-back German partner Max Winter, who make up the perfect team – if only they could see it.

In Season Three, amid high-stakes adventures, treasure hunts, arson, kidnappings, and murders, Max and Miranda’s personal tensions and odd-couple partnership are put to the test. Overseeing their cases...

Netflix expands upon the “Stranger Things Universe” with the brand new “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a live stage play that’s become a massive hit over in London.

Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions today released the first look trailer for the critically acclaimed world premiere production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow. With some of the groundbreaking theatrical special effects teased on film for the first time, the show announces an extension into 2025 at the Phoenix Theatre.

Written by Kate Trefry and with direction by Stephen Daldry and co-director Justin Martin, the production opened to rave reviews at the Phoenix Theatre on December 14, 2023. The show, currently breaking box office records at Phoenix Theatre where it is now booking until February 16, 2025, has recently won several awards including the Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment and Best Set Design, the Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Set Design and Most Promising Newcomer, and...

Netflix has teamed up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and opened at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End back in December. The show has been breaking box office records and recently won several awards, including the Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment and Best Set Design, the Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Set Design and Most Promising Newcomer, and the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Play. Due to unprecedented demand, the stage play’s run has just been extended into 2025, with Phoenix Theatre booking it until February 16. Along with the extension comes the unveiling of a trailer, which can be seen in the embed above and allows the show’s “groundbreaking theatrical special effects to be teased on film for the first time.”

A while back, Deadline...

Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions today released the trailer for the critically acclaimed world premiere production of Stranger Things: The First Shadow. With some of the groundbreaking theatrical special effects teased on film for the first time, the show has announced an extension into 2025 at the Phoenix Theatre.

Written by Kate Trefry and with direction by Stephen Daldry and co-director Justin Martin, the production opened to rave reviews at the Phoenix Theatre on December 14, 2023.

The show, currently breaking box office records at Phoenix Theatre, where it is now booked until 16 February, has recently won several awards, including the Olivier Awards for Best Entertainment and Best Set Design, the Critics’ Circle Awards for Best Set Design and Most Promising Newcomer, and the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Play.

Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously,...

Spoiler Alert: This post contains spoilers for “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” now playing on London’s West End.

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a prequel play to Netflix’s hit sci-fi series, officially opened on London’s West End on Thursday night. Coming straight from the “Stranger Things” creative team — with a script by series writer and co-executive producer Kate Trefry from an original story by Trefry and show creators Matt and Ross Duffer — the play is a direct link to the Upside Down viewers know and love. Except this time, the audience is transported back to the 1950s to bear witness to the antics of a different group of teenagers: The Party’s parents.

Directed by Stephen Daldry, “The First Shadow” focuses on Joyce Maldonado (Isabella Pappas), a spunky teen known for dating bad boys like Lonnie Byers but whose true passion is theater; James Hopper Jr. (Oscar Lloyd...

Netflix is teaming up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and officially opens at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End tonight, December 14th. According to Deadline, if this one is well received, it might be the first in a trilogy of Stranger Things stage plays!

Deadline hears Stranger Things: The First Shadow “will be the first instalment in a trilogy exploring the dark underbelly of Hawkins, Indiana. Breaking Baz can reveal parts two and three are set to follow the inaugural play in two or three year intervals, according to insiders associated with the production. The stage sequels will launch in London first. Meanwhile, there are already plans for Stranger Things: The First Shadow to transfer to Broadway.” Of course, this all depends on the reviews and box office receipts,...

Exclusive: The Stranger Things stage show, an unbelievably brilliant new blueprint for theatricality that premieres in London’s West End tonight, will be the first installment in a trilogy exploring the dark underbelly of Hawkins, Indiana.

Breaking Baz can reveal that parts two and three are set to follow the inaugural play, Stranger Things: The First Shadow, in two- or three-year intervals, according to insiders associated with the production. The stage sequels will launch in London first.

Meanwhile, there are already plans for Stranger Things: The First Shadow to transfer to Broadway.

None of that’s official yet, of course. Producers and backers will study reviews out on Friday and across the weekend and the box office receipts before green-lighting any further productions.

The Stranger Things play is set in the late 1950s — a time when a young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won...

Netflix is teaming up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and is set to officially open at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on December 14th. The show will then run through next August. (Tickets are available Here.) With the opening date right around the corner, Netflix has shared a batch of images from the show’s previews that give a look at what it’s going to be like to experience this Stranger Things story as it plays out on the stage. The images can be seen at the bottom of this article.

Written by Stranger Things writer and co-executive producer Kate Trefry from an original story she crafted with the Duffer Brothers and Jack Thorne, Stranger Things: The First Shadow has the following synopsis: Hawkins,...

Netflix expands upon the “Stranger Things Universe” with the brand new “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a live stage play that’s headed to London for the holidays.

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is said to be a “new story live on stage,” and it’s set in Hawkins, 1959. “The First Shadow” takes place “before the world turned upside down.”

The World Premiere takes the stage December 14 at the Phoenix Theatre on London’s West End, with previews beginning November 17. Check out your first look above!

Netflix has also revealed the first act title of the play: “Chapter One: The Girl From Nowhere.”

The cast includes Louis McCartney (Silent Roar, Hope Street, Game of Thrones) as Henry Creel, Ella Karuna Williams (The Equalizer) as Patty Newby and Patrick Vaill (Oklahoma!, Macbeth, Dash & Lily) as Dr. Brenner.

Oscar Lloyd (The 47th, Hotel Portofino, 4 O’Clock Club) takes on the role as Jim Hopper,...

The Hawkins, Indiana, stage show just got a little creepier and a little nearer to launch.

The Stranger Things stage play has unveiled a first look production image and the name of its first act, as a public preview kicked off today in London. We first told you about the play last year and you can now check out the image below.

The original stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow officially opens next month on December 14 at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End, and will be a prequel to the Netflix sci-fi drama set in Hawkins in 1959.

The first act will be titled ‘Chapter One: The Girl From Nowhere,’ it was revealed today. The play features several characters who play key roles in the TV series, which is set in the 1980s.

Stranger Things co-creators the Duffer Brothers, His Dark Materials scribe Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry are writing the play,...

The team behind Stranger Things: The First Shadow has released a new image of the stage production and the title of its first act.

In the latest incremental update on the show, which was released the same day as previews for The First Shadow are set to begin at the Phoenix Theatre on London’s West End, the title of the play’s first act was revealed as being “Chapter One: The Girl From Nowhere.”

The new image of the production — the first major still of the play outside of previously released cast portraits and key art — features a teen Henry Creel (Louis McCartney), surrounded by a mix of smokey yellow, orange, purple and black light, which only somewhat obscures the presence of a familiar threat: a demogorgon.

During Netflix’s Geeked Week, the production released a light teaser of the upcoming show set to open Dec. 14, offering a few...

In celebration of Stranger Things Day on Nov. 6, the writers for Season 5 shared a few lines of the first episode's opening scene.

Although the event activities primarily revolved around recaps and highlights from past seasons due to the ongoing actors' strike, the official X account of the Stranger Things writers' room wrapped up the festivities by offering a glimpse into what lies ahead. "Darkness. The sound of Cold Wind. Groaning Trees. And... A Child's Voice. Singing a familiar song," the sneak peek reads, setting the scene for Season 5, Episode 1, "Chapter One: The Crawl."

Shawn Levy Reveals His Initial Reactions to Stranger Things' Success

Season 5. Chapter 1. Scene 1. pic.twitter.com/TIkf1DNipu — stranger writers (@strangerwriters) November 7, 2023

The annual celebration also gave fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the Stranger Things stage play set to open in London's West End on Nov. 17. In the video titled Stranger Things: The First Shadow | Bringing...

Netflix is teaming up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and is set to have its world premiere at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on December 14th. The show will then run through next August. (Tickets are available Here.) With the premiere date swiftly approaching, a promo video that goes behind the scenes of the stage play has arrived online, and you can check it out in the embed above!

Written by Stranger Things writer and co-executive producer Kate Trefry from an original story she crafted with the Duffer Brothers and Jack Thorne, Stranger Things: The First Shadow has the following synopsis: Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his...

Happy Geeked Week to all who celebrate. What, did you believe we could go straight from Halloween to Christmas season without paying fealty to our streaming overlords? Think again! That's right, this week marks the third installment of the now-annual Netflix celebration of Geeked Week, and with it comes five full days of "exclusive news, sneak peeks, and surprises from some of Netflix's most anticipated movies, shows, and games." First on the docket, apparently, is some eye-catching news about the biggest Netflix original of them all, just in time for "Stranger Things" Day.

The wildly popular show is currently barreling its way towards its fifth and final season. But before that, fans will get a chance to travel back to the earliest portions of the "Stranger Things" universe and discover how it all began. 

Netflix has debuted a first look at "Stranger Things: The First Shadow," a stage play set...

A new Stranger Things: The First Shadow behind-the-scenes video promises to get to the heart of all Stranger Things lore.

In the video, franchise co-creators the Duffer Brothers described the upcoming play as "a story exploring when Henry Creel first moved into Hawkins. And like every Stranger Things story, there's a new really important character, which in this case is Patty Newby." Played by Ella Karuna Williams, this character finds herself joining the likes of teenage Jim Hopper (Oscar Lloyd), Joyce Byers (Isabella Pappas), Bob Newby (Christopher Buckley), and Creel (Michael Jibson) where, in Williams' words, "everyone's trying to figure out their lives in high school." Writer Kate Trefry then teased how Patty fits into these established characters' stories as Henry's love interest, while producer Sonia Friedman revealed that The First Shadow will also explore "How Henry Creel became Number 001."

Related: Stranger Things: The First Shadow Reveals...

Stranger Things: The First Shadow — the stage play based on the hit Netflix series — promises to be a “cinematic” experience that lays the groundwork for the series biggest villain, Henry Creel.

In a new three-minute featurette released Monday for the streamer’s annual “Stranger Things Day” (the annual event marks the day when Will Beyers, in 1983, went missing in Hawkins, Indiana), Stranger Things co-creators Matt and Ross Duffer were joined by the production’s creative team and cast, including director Stephen Daldry, as they teased what fans can expect out of the upcoming live stage show.

According to Matt, the show came about after hearing “Stephen Daldry was interested in doing a play — he’s a director of all these movies and he’s an incredibly accomplished theater director.”

Ross recalled, “We were in the middle of breaking season four with our writers. We started going, ‘Ok, well, there’s...

A new look at “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a prequel play based on the blockbuster Netflix series that begins previews on stage in London this month, has been released.

The promotional video – which includes numerous backstage looks at the production, as well as some new interviews with “Stranger Things” creators Ross and Matt Duffer – debuted on Monday as part of “Stranger Things Day.”

Here’s the logline for the new play, which takes place in 1959 and focuses on the origins of Henry Creel (who later becomes the villainous Vecna and is played by Jamie Campbell Bower in the Netflix series):

Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his...

Netflix is kicking off “Stranger Things Day” this morning with a first look at “Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a live stage play that’s headed to London later this month.

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is said to be a “new story live on stage,” and it’s set in Hawkins, 1959. “The First Shadow” takes place “before the world turned upside down.”

The World Premiere takes the stage December 14 at the Phoenix Theatre on London’s West End, with previews beginning November 17. Go behind the scenes in the video below!

The cast includes Louis McCartney (Silent Roar, Hope Street, Game of Thrones) as Henry Creel, Ella Karuna Williams (The Equalizer) as Patty Newby and Patrick Vaill (Oklahoma!, Macbeth, Dash & Lily) as Dr. Brenner.

Oscar Lloyd (The 47th, Hotel Portofino, 4 O’Clock Club) takes on the role as Jim Hopper, Jr., Isabella Pappas (Finding Alice, The Villains of Valley View,...

Fans of “Stranger Things” can now get a close look at the process behind “The First Shadow,” the stage adaptation that’s soon hitting London’s West End.

In time for what Netflix calls “Stranger Things” Day — the date that Will Byers (Noah Schnapp in the TV series) went missing in Season 1 — the streamer released a video giving a preview into “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.” This comes after Netflix’s recent reveal of the first images from the play, which showed Henry Creel (Louis McCartney) standing off with Dr. Brenner (Patrick Vaill), Lonnie Byers (Chase Brown) holding Joyce Maldonado (Isabella Pappas) and more.

In the featurette, key creatives discuss how the “The First Shadow” came together and what it entails, including playwright Kate Trefry, who teases, “There are so many Easter eggs. It’s Easter morning.”

“The main thrust of the story is Patty [Newby, played by Ella Karuna Williams] and her little,...

We’re getting the first look at Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a live stage show based on the hit Netflix series. Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions have released some rehearsal images for the stage show that opens at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on Dec. 14, with previews beginning Nov. 17.

The First Shadow is set in Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob Newby’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn’t so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach.

Written by Kate Trefry, and directed by Stephen Daldry, with co-direction by Justin Martin, the cast includes Shane Attwooll (Chief Hopper), Kemi Awoderu...

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is shaping up to replicate the high stakes of the Netflix drama, as demonstrated by photos released from rehearsals of the West End stage play.

Among the first looks are images of Henry Creel and Dr. Brenner (played by Louis McCartney and Patrick Vaill) in an intense face-to-face standoff and Lonnie Byers sitting with and holding Joyce Maldonado (played by Chase Brown and Isabella Pappas), as well as of the larger company and “Stranger Things” creators Ross and Matt Duffer.

Additionally, the production has set a discounted ticket initiative titled “Shadow Seats” in partnership with TodayTix. For each performance of the show’s run, there will be 11 pairs of tickets available for £19.59 per seat, with some located in the front row of the stalls. Shadow seats will not be visible on the main booking page, instead appearing for sale via the lottery on the TodayTix...

In 2014 and 2015, Vertigo published Si Spencer’s eight-issue graphic novel Bodies, a mind-bending mystery about four police officers from different historical eras who discover the same corpse in the same London location, decades apart. Featuring detectives from the present day, the 1940s, the 1890s and 2053, it’s a complex conspiracy thriller about a very dark future. Originally illustrated by four artists – Dean Ormston, Phil Winslade, Meghan Hetrick and Tula Lotay – each era had its own distinct feel and look.

Spencer, who had also written on other Vertigo titles including Judge Dredd and Books of Magick: Life During Wartime, sadly passed away in February 2021, meaning he wasn’t able to see Paul Tomalin’s eight-part Netflix series adapted from his work. It’s out now, with a sprawling cast of characters including Boiling Point and This Is England’s Stephen Graham, several established actors and a handful of newcomers. Here’s more about them.

On Wednesday, Stranger Things: The First Shadow unveiled its entire cast in anticipation of its global live-stage debut at the renowned Phoenix Theater in London's West End.

According to Deadline, the play which is based on the Netflix show, opens on December 14 with previews beginning in two months. The cast will portray characters familiar to fans of television series. It is written by Kate Trefry and helmed by Stephen Daldry, with co-direction by Justin Martin, and boasts a stellar cast.

Related: Stranger Things: The First Shadow Stage Play Could ‘Hold the Key’ to Season 5

The stage is set for Stranger Things: The First Shadow. The all-new play's cast will feature 1959 versions of Henry Creel, Dr. Brenner, Joyce, Hop, Bob Newby, and more! Head to @stonstage for the whole story. pic.twitter.com/WOKR7YAz2p — Netflix (@netflix) September 20, 2023

The lineup features Shane Attwooll as Chief Hopper, Kemi Awoderu as Sue Anderson,...

Ahead of “Stranger Things 5,” set to be the final season of the Netflix series, the saga will be taking to the stage in London for the upcoming “Stranger Things: The First Shadow.”

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” is said to be a “new story live on stage,” and it’s set in Hawkins, 1959. “The First Shadow” takes place “before the world turned upside down.”

The World Premiere takes place on December 14 at the Phoenix Theatre on London’s West End, Bloody Disgusting has learned this afternoon. Previews begin November 17.

Rehearsals are now underway and the cast has been officially announced by Netflix. Many of the actors will be playing younger versions of beloved “Stranger Things” characters.

The cast includes Louis McCartney as Henry Creel, Ella Karuna Williams (The Equalizer) as Patty Newby and Patrick Vaill as Dr. Brenner.

Oscar Lloyd takes on the role as Jim Hopper, Jr., Isabella Pappas...

Netflix is teaming up with Sonia Friedman Productions to produce the stage play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, which is “rooted in the mythology” of the hit streaming series Stranger Things and is set to have its world premiere at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End on December 14th. The show will then run through next August. (Tickets are available Here.) With just a few months to go before the premiere, Variety has learned that the full cast for Stranger Things: The First Shadow has been assembled, including the actors who will be playing younger version of characters from the series like Joyce, Hopper, Dr. Brenner, Bob Newby, and Henry Creel!

Here’s the cast: Shane Attwooll (Chief Hopper), Kemi Awoderu (Sue Anderson), Chase Brown (Lonnie Byers), Christopher Buckley (Bob Newby), Ammar Duffus (Charles Sinclair), Gilles Geary (Ted Wheeler), Florence Guy (Karen Childress), Max Harwood (Allen Munson), Michael Jibson (Victor Creel), Oscar Lloyd,...

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” announced its full cast Wednesday ahead of its worldwide opening live on stage at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End.

Playwright Kate Tefry’s stage production will take viewers back to Hawkins, Indiana, in 1959 before the events of “Stranger Things” Season 1 and any inkling of The Upside Down. Directed by Stephen Daldry with codirection from Justin Martin, the theatrical installment premieres Dec. 14.

“With rehearsals now underway, it’s a joy to discover the world of ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ with our ferociously talented cast and watch the alchemy amongst our entire company grow as we together explore this new play,” Daldry and Martin said in a statement. “They’re an extraordinarily gifted group of actors, and we can’t wait to share this origin story with audiences.”

Full cast of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” (Netflix)

Shane Attwooll will portray Chief Hopper,...

Preview

London’s upcoming stage production of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” has announced its full cast, including who will play young Hopper, Joyce, Dr. Brenner and Henry Creel (who will later turn into Vecna) — characters from the show played by David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Matthew Modine and Jamie Campbell Bower, respectively.

From Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions, “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” acts as a prequel to the Duffer Brothers’ hit series, beginning in 1959 Hawkins, Ind.

With production on the upcoming fifth and final season of “Stranger Things” paused indefinitely until the writers and actors strikes are settled, this West End stage production will have to tie fans over in the meantime.

(L-r) Oscar Lloyd, Isabella Pappas (Joyce Maldonado), and Christopher Buckley (Bob Newby)

“The cast of ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ is nothing short of phenomenal,” said the Duffer Brothers in a statement. The “Stranger Things” series creators...

The London stage production based on Stranger Things has announced its cast and set dates for the beginning of previews and its formal opening.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow, a prequel to the Netflix hit that’s set in 1959, will begin previews Nov. 17 at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End, with an opening date set for Dec. 14. Rehearsals for the play, written by Kate Trefry and directed by Stephen Daldry with co-director Justin Martin, are underway.

“It’s a joy to discover the world of Stranger Things: The First Shadow with our ferociously talented cast and watch the alchemy amongst our entire company grow as we together explore this new play,” Daldry and Martin said in a statement. “They’re an extraordinarily gifted group of actors, and we can’t wait to share this origin story with audiences.”

The First Shadow stars Shane Attwooll, Christopher Buckley, Michael Jibson,...

Exclusive: Prasanna Puwanarajah said he jumped at the opportunity to appear in The Crown portraying infamous television journalist Martin Bashir, pummeled by a BBC inquiry that condemned the “deceitful” methods he used to obtain the controversial 1995 Panorama TV interview with Princess Diana, because ”roles like that just don’t really exist for Asian actors.”

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The actor’s comments come as the UK print media continue to whip itself into a frenzied state over the Emmy-winning Netflix and Left Bank Pictures series, which takes a looking-through-the-keyhole approach to events that involved the late Queen Elizabeth II,...

Streaming

Apple TV+ and Disney+ were the major gainers in the U.K. subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) market, a survey from Barb, the country’s television audience measurement currency, has found. Barb’s establishment survey for the first quarter of the year reports that the number of U.K. households with access to a streaming service reached 19.57 million U.K. homes (68.5 of households), in the first quarter of the year, an increase of almost 500,000 homes since the fourth quarter of 2021. Of these, 1.57 million homes had access to Apple TV+, up 27 from 1.24 million the previous quarter and 6.53 million homes had access to Disney+, a quarterly increase of 19 from 5.49 million in Q4 2021.

Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Sky’s Now TV saw smaller quarterly gains with 17.29 million homes having access to Netflix in Q1 2022, up 3 from 16.79 million the previous quarter; 13.35 million homes having access to Amazon Prime Video, a growth of 6 from 12.57 million...

Superstition, science and faith collide in an Essex fishing village when a centuries-old rumour resurfaces about a biblical sea serpent haunting the waters. Some believe the beast has come to punish Aldwinter’s people for their sins. Others – like Tom Hiddleston’s vicar Will Ransome – don’t believe in it at all. Widower Cora Seaborne (Claire Danes) hypothesises that it’s an evolutionary throwback to the age of the dinosaur. Will’s fey wife Stella (Clémence Poésy) secretly welcomes it as her lord and saviour. So unfurls Apple TV+’s atmospheric six-episode adaptation of Sarah Perry’s celebrated 2016 novel.

The Essex Serpent is the latest in a line of quality Apple TV+ shows unlikely to get the audience they deserve because they weren’t made for a mainstream broadcaster or streaming service with higher subscriber base. This one has stars, beauty, brains, a transportive atmosphere and a quasi-hypnotic pull, and...

The Essex Serpent Trailer — Apple TV+‘s The Essex Serpent (2022) TV mini-series trailer has been released. The Essex Serpent trailer stars Claire Danes, Tom Hiddleston, Frank Dillane, Clémence Poésy, Hayley Squires, Dixie Egerickx, Jamael Westman, and Michael Jibson. Crew Clio Barnard directed the episodes of The Essex Serpent. Anna Symon wrote the screenplay for the [...]

Continue reading: The Essex Serpent (2022) TV Mini-series Trailer: Claire Danes & Tom Hiddleston form a Bond of Science & Skepticism in Apple TV+’s Thriller...

"Lock your doors, say you prayers!" Apple has revealed an official trailer for The Essex Serpent, a British mini-series coming to Apple TV+ this May. Based on the book of the same name by Sarah Perry, which takes place in 1893. The story follows London widow Cora Seaborne who, after her brilliant, domineering husband dies, moves to Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. She forms a bond of science and skepticism with the pastor, but when tragedy strikes, the locals accuse her of attracting the creature. The cast features Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston as the leads, along with Frank Dillane, Clémence Poésy, Hayley Squires, Dixie Egerickx, Jamael Westman, and Michael Jibson. "You can't be my friend and a man of God!" Some strong dialogue in here. This is full of religious undertones and themes, making it a seductive thriller about more than just a serpent. It's no surprise...

Tom Hiddleston is hoping to pick up some Emmy momentum for his turn as the titular character on “Loki,” but the actor already has his next big television project in the can.

“The Essex Serpent,” a six-episode period fantasy series based on Sarah Perry’s New York Times-bestselling novel of the same name, stars Hiddleston as a small-town priest in Victorian England who teams up with a grieving widow to investigate the existence of a mythical serpent. Claire Danes co-stars as the widow, Cora Seaborne, in the genre-bending period piece that promises to continue Apple’s recent hot streak of buzzy television shows. The show is set to premiere on Apple TV+ next month, but the tech giant has released the first trailer for the limited series today.

“The Essex Serpent” marks Claire Danes’ first major television role since “Homeland” wrapped its eight-season run on Showtime in 2020. She plays the...

The highly-anticipated Apple Original series The Essex Serpent, starring Claire Danes and Tom Hiddleston, is set to debut globally on Apple TV+ on Friday, May 13, 2022. Based on Sarah Perry’s bestselling novel of the same name, The Essex Serpent follows London widow Cora Seaborne (Danes), who moves to neighboring Essex to investigate reports of a mythical serpent. While there, she develops an unlikely bond with the village vicar (Hiddleston), but when tragedy strikes, locals accuse her of attracting the creature. In addition to Danes and Hiddleston, the series stars Frank Dillane (Fear the Walking Dead) as Luke Garrett, Clémence Poésy (The Tunnel) as Stella Ransome, Hayley Squires (Adult Material) as Martha, Jamael Westman (Anne Boleyn) as Dr. George Spencer, Dixie Egerickx (Patrick Melrose) as Jo Ransome, and Michael Jibson (Four Lives) as Matthew Evansford. The six-episode series is directed by BAFTA Award-nominee Clio Barnard (Ali & Ava) and written by fellow...

Since they were given their heads, the big auteurs of modern TV have been its screenwriters. So “No Return” can be taken various ways. It’s an ITV series from Red Production Company, which has attracted huge heat producing Russell T. Davies’ “It’s a Sin” and “Years and Years.”

It’s sold by Studiocanal, Europe’s biggest film-tv production-distribution powerhouse which owns Red Production Company and is behind the “Paddington” franchise, multiple Liam Neeson hit thrillers and upcoming Western, “Django.”

In production since July, it’s billed as compelling event drama, starring BAFTA award winning actress Sheridan Smith (“Mrs Biggs”).

But it’s also the latest from Danny Brocklehurst, now one of the U.K.’s preeminent screenwriters.

Few have his range or pedigree. After learning his craft from two of the greatest TV voices of working class Britain, Paul Abbott (“Shameless”) and Jimmy McGovern, he wrote half of Harlan Coben...

"I rather think she would've liked it as well." Sky Cinema in the UK has debuted the first look teaser trailer for a film titled To Olivia, described as "the true story of renowned writer Roald Dahl and actress Patrica Neal." Set in the 1960s, the film follows Dahl & Neal around their secluded home in the English countryside where they have moved to raise their expanding young family in peace. But an "unimaginable loss" in their family changes them forever as they try to figure out how to live on together. Hugh Bonneville stars as the legendary author Roald Dahl, and co-stars with Keeley Hawes as Patricia. The cast includes Darcey Ewart and Isabella Jonsson as his daughters, as long with Sam Heughan, Conleth Hill, and Michael Jibson. This looks like a lovely and emotional story of Roald Dahl, looking forward to seeing more footage. Here's the first official UK...

AMC has release a new teaser trailer for its three-part drama series Quiz, premiering Sunday, May 31 at 10/9c. The second and third episodes will air on Sunday, June 7 and Sunday, June 14 at 9/8c, respectively. The full series will also be available to binge on AMC Premiere beginning Sunday, May 31 at 10/9c. The new art (below) features series stars Matthew Macfadyen (Succession) as Major Charles Ingram and Michael Sheen (Prodigal Son) as Chris Tarrant.

A three-part drama directed by the globally renowned Stephen Frears and written by playwright James Graham, Quiz tells the extraordinary and sensational story of how Charles and Diana Ingram attempted an 'audacious heist' on the quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

Major Ingram (Matthew Macfadyen), his wife Diana and an accomplice, Tecwen Whittock, who was sitting in the audience, were accused of cheating their way to a million pounds on what was the most popular...

In today’s TV news roundup, Hulu released the trailer for “The Great,” and AMC dropped a teaser for “Quiz.”

Dates

Paramount Network has announced “Yellowstone” Season 3 will premiere on June 21. The series follows the Dutton family and the conflicts that arise along the shared borders of their large cattle ranch. This season welcomes Josh Holloway to the cast that already includes Luke Grimes, Kelly Reilly, Wes Bentley, Cole Hauser, Kelsey Asbille, Brecken Merrill, Jefferson White, Forrie Smith, Denim Richards and Gil Birmingham.

TruTV has announced Season 3 of “At Home with Amy Sedaris” will premiere on May 20 at 10 p.m. Each week the show touches on a specific theme and features imaginative characters, how-to demonstrations, special guests, and more. Special guests this season include Laura Benanti, Arturo Castro, Michael Cera, Ann Dowd, Rachel Dratch, Bridget Everett, Ana Gasteyer, David Alan Grier, Josh Hamilton, Darrell Hammond, Jackie Hoffman, Richard Kind, David Koechner,...

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire scandal drama Quiz will be revealed to AMC viewers on Sunday, May 31.

The network will launch the miniseries, which is from The Crown producer Left Bank Pictures and is a co-production with British network ITV, over three weeks with the second and third episodes airing June 7 and 14, respectively. The full series will be available to binge on AMC Premiere starting May 31.

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This comes after ITV revealed that it will air the three-part drama on April 13. The mini originally was slated to bow May 25 on AMC.

Quiz, directed by Stephen Frears (A Very English Scandal) and written by James Graham...