Netflix is celebrating 10 years of Stranger Things. The Duffer Brothers’ supernatural sci-fi hit first debuted on July 15, 2016. The streamer announced several new surprises tied to the franchise and highlighted by a retro VHS experience.
The Netflix hit unveils surprising new releases fans never saw coming
Netflix is celebrating Stranger Things’ 10th anniversary with a bunch of new offerings, headlined by Stranger Things VHS Special Edition. This edition is a retro-styled version of Season 1, designed to recreate the experience of renting a videotape in the 1980s. This new edition includes fuzzy visuals, VHS-style glitches, and classic pan-and-scan formatting.
Fans can catch the new VHS edition by searching for Stranger Things VHS on the app. The nostalgic format feels perfect for a series built around the culture of the 80s. Creators Matt and Ross Duffer go further, noting that if the show existed in Hawkins, sitting on a shelf at Family Video, “it would look just like this (complete with pan-and-scan)!.” The directors promised to release the remaining seasons in the same retro-styled manner if enough people watch this first season.
Director and executive producer Shawn Levy expressed their views on the milestone: “It’s hard to believe it’s been ten years since Stranger Things first turned our world upside down… None of this phenomenal ride would have been possible without the fans who have been with us from the very beginning… Hawkins forever.”
Netflix has also released a cast reflection piece, “Strange Memories”, a video featuring the cast reflecting on a decade of filming. Millie Bobby Brown talks about celebrating her birthday on the Season 1 set. Sadie Sink laughs about the awkwardness of filming Season 3 as a teen. Natalia Dyer and Joe Keery share their own stories, too.
A new anniversary poster rounds out the release. Limited-edition merch, a vinyl box set, and Blu-ray collections are part of the wider celebration as well.
Stranger Things has five seasons with 42 episodes. Overall, the series has garnered over 1.5 billion views through March 2026. Seasons 4 and 5 are ranked #3 and #4, respectively, on the Top 10 Most Popular Shows list of all time.
