The prequel play Stranger Things: The First Shadow has set box office records at Broadway's Marquis Theatre, illustrating the trend of turning screen IP into stage productions.
The Chosun Ilbo on the 19th examined why Broadway staged the Netflix series Stranger Things. The work in question is the play Stranger Things: The First Shadow, running at Broadway's Marquis Theatre and produced by Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions.
광고 문의 · 300×250According to TheWrap, the story is set in Hawkins, Indiana, in 1959. A young Henry Creel, who later becomes the series' villain Vecna, hopes to make a fresh start with his family but meets dark forces as a wave of crimes hits the town. As a prequel to an earlier era than the main series, it aims to be followable even for audiences who do not know the show.
The Creative Team and the Records
The original story comes from the series' Duffer Brothers, Jack Thorne and Kate Trefry, with Trefry writing the play. Stephen Daldry directed, with Justin Martin as co-director. Louis McCartney plays Henry Creel and T.R. Knight plays Victor Creel. The production is reported to have won four Tony Awards in 2025.
The box office is notable too. According to TheWrap and Variety, over the Christmas week ending December 28 last year, nine performances grossed $2,510,948, a weekly record for the Marquis Theatre. Production costs and the profit structure have not been confirmed, so this newspaper does not print figures.
A Trend of Moving IP to the Stage
Broadway turning to big screen IP is not new; musicals and plays based on films and series have been produced steadily. Works with a large fan base can lower marketing costs and draw younger audiences to theaters, an appeal for producers. With Netflix taking part in the production directly, the show is also read as a case of a streaming platform joining forces with the performing arts.
Still, a fandom-driven project does not guarantee artistic quality. How well the stage form recreates the series' effects and world decides success, and the production's recognition for stage design fits that context. Whether this hit leads to a lasting trend of stage adaptations remains to be seen in future box office results.