Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Behind the Curtain: Stranger Things: The First Shadow pulls viewers into the creative process behind the award-winning live stage production that expands the Hawkins world. Through interviews with cast members who appear as themselves, rehearsal footage, and moments on the production floor, the film follows how performers and technicians shape characters and effects for a live audience. It focuses on the practical problem-solving that turns television mythology into theatrical spectacle, showing how direction, design, and performance meet to reimagine familiar scenes for the stage, while keeping the emotional core that fans recognize. No plot spoilers are revealed, it stays focused on craft, collaboration, and the pressures of presenting a beloved franchise in a new format.

Directed by Jonathan Halperin and released in 2025, the documentary documents the stage show "Stranger Things: The First Shadow" and its creative team, taking source material from the original series and the live theatrical adaptation to show how the two mediums connect.

The film opened in select theaters and was made available on streaming platforms, aiming at both fans and theatergoers. Detailed box office figures were not widely reported, and its commercial footprint remained modest compared with mainstream studio releases.

Critical responses hovered around a 7.0/10 from early voters, who noted strong access to cast like Shane Attwooll, Rhys Bailey, and others who reflect on embodying well known characters on stage. Reviewers highlighted recurring themes of fandom, reinvention, and the labor behind spectacle, praising the transparency of rehearsal scenes and the documentary's interest in the mechanics of live performance.

Among fans and theatre communities the film sparked conversation about adapting popular TV properties for live venues, encouraging interest in theatrical tie ins. Clips and behind the scenes moments circulated online, fueling cosplay and fan discussion about how stagecraft can expand franchise storytelling, and prompting other creators to consider similar cross medium experiments.