The stage is set for Henry Creel’s backstory in the upcoming original play Stranger Things: The First Shadow. From the masterminds behind the hit Netflix series, the Duffer brothers, alongside the show’s writer Kate Trefry and Enola Holmes 2 screenplay writer Jack Thorne, the prequel will go back in time, during Hawkins circa 1959. The streamer drops a new trailer, introducing Henry and his story before he becomes the monstrous Vecna.
You can watch the Stranger Things: The First Shadow preview below:
The First Shadow begins by playing the iconic soundtrack of Stranger Things. A young Henry appears behind his parents, Victor and Virginia Creel, as they arrive at their new home. For Henry, it’s a fresh start for their family. He then joins a new school and meets a woman. However, as he enjoys his life as a normal teenager, her mom’s voice can be heard in the background, saying, “If you start to get upset, just take a deep breath and say to yourself.”
As Henry introduces himself, he stresses that he’s normal. As he arrives at the Hawkins National Laboratory, things start to turn for the worse. Like Eleven, one side of his nose bleeds while he covers his eyes with a cloth. From there, the mystery begins as Henry feels he’s different. He’s then elevating while being surrounded by Vecna’s spiked vines. A Demogorgon then appears, and the fight starts.
Later, as Henry tries to fight what’s happening inside him, Dr. Brenner appears, telling him that he’s the shadow. A man then approaches a mysterious individual who shows his arm with a 001 mark, known as Henry Creel. “I’m Henry Creel,” Henry says as the trailer ends.
Is The First Shadow Stranger Things canon?
The First Shadow is the prequel to Stranger Things. It’s rooted in the series' mythology and world, takes place in the past, and tells the show's origin story, making it canon. It features the arrival of the Creed family in Hawkins, Indiana, in 1959 before the world turned upside down.
However, after 24 years, Henry is suddenly gone. As his friends and family look for answers for his disappearance, they witness a deadly series of events. Without anyone knowing, an extraordinary supernatural mystery is happening beneath the surface of the once-peaceful town of Hawkins. Top-secret government experiments are also happening, and a dangerous gateway connects the world to a powerful but sinister realm. Once discovered, this will change Hawkins and the world forever.
What is Stranger Things: The First Shadow about?
The First Shadow will tell the story of Henry as he arrives in Hawkins to have a fresh start with his family. However, things will not be easy for him, with the shadow of the past still lurking. The play will feature familiar names, like Hopper, Bob, and Joyce. These three are enjoying their regular lives when the town of Hawkins starts to change.
You can read The First Shadow synopsis below:
Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Hopper’s car won’t start, Bob’s sister won’t take his radio show seriously, and Joyce just wants to get out as soon as she can. When new student Henry Creel and his family arrive, they find a fresh start isn’t that easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach. Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story — and to the beginning of the end.
The First Shadow will open on December 14, 2024, and previews will begin on November 17, 2024, at the Phoenix Theatre in London’s West End. Tickets are now available at strangerthingsonstage.com.
The play will expand the world of Stranger Things, revealing how it all began long before Eleven was introduced. And amid the hate, it will tell what really happened to Henry that turns him into the monstrous creature, Vecna.
