Stranger Things Prequel Replaces Vecna with a Ghost from the Upside Down

The animated prequel Stranger Things: Tales From '85 returns in fall 2026 with a new villain, a ghost from the Upside Down, replacing Vecna. This introduces a supernatural element not seen in the main series. The show is set between seasons 2 and 3, during winter 1985, and follows Eleven and her friends as they face this new threat. The Hawkins Investigators Club will use methods like a Ouija board to defeat the ghost-like monster, which resembles a Demogorgon. The addition raises continuity questions, as the main show never featured ghosts and ended in 2025 with Vecna's defeat. The spinoff must explain this new monster to fit the established timeline, potentially revealing it as a projection rather than a true ghost.