Flying Bark Productions hosted the media and crew launch for the new Netflix animated series Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 at their Sydney headquarters last night. The release of the show marks a major milestone for the homegrown Australian studio, which has experienced significant growth recently.
Flying Bark Productions is a globally recognised production company and animation studio headquartered in Sydney, Australia. The company is known for producing high-quality productions for major international franchises while fostering local talent and industry growth. Some of their best-known work includes animation for the Marvel Studios animated series “What If?”, the Paramount animated series “Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, as well as films such as “Blinky Bill: The Movie” (2015) and “100% Wolf” (2020).
Celebrating the launch of the new Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 show, key members of the Netflix Australia and Flying Park team spoke at the event.
John Derderian, Vice President of Animation Series + Kids & Family TV at Netflix, said: “From the very beginning, Flying Bark brought a level of craft, ambition, and creative clarity that made them the perfect partner to help us expand the world of Stranger Things in a fresh way. With Stranger Things: Tales of ’85, we’re giving fans another way to dive deeper into a universe they love – reimagining a fan-favorite franchise through animation while staying true to the tone and storytelling that define it,”
“What’s been especially exciting is how collaborative this process has been. Together, we’ve pushed beyond traditional approaches to build something with cinematic scope in a series format. Flying Bark has been an incredible creative partner throughout, and as we continue working together on Clash of Clans and Minecraft, we’re just getting started on what we can build next.”
Barbara Stephen, CEO of Flying Bark Productions shared that: “Projects like Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 are proof that world-class animation is being made right here in Australia. Partnering with Netflix and working on globally recognised IP has helped us expand our international footprint and this global success is facilitating opportunities for the studio to produce premium local content as well.
Our crew are gaining international credits, working within highly sophisticated pipelines, and tackling more ambitious storytelling. That experience builds capability quickly, and it’s why we’re seeing Australian artists not just compete, but lead on the global stage.
Flying Bark has seen significant growth over the past 10 years fuelled by investment from US-led studios and Australian productions. The partnership with Netflix has led to a greater expansion beyond Australian shores and more opportunities for the now 700 employees across Sydney, Los Angeles, and Madrid. Entrusted to expand the Duffer brothers’ Stranger Things universe into animation. Netflix and Flying Bark are also partnering on animated adaptations for Clash of Clans and Minecraft.
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85
Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 is the animated series that continues the story of the Stranger Things series. Set during 1985, it fills in the gaps between Seasons 2 and 3, following the same characters in new adventures and stories not told during the live-action series.
The Duffer Brothers, the original creators of the series, serve as Executive Producers on the new animated show, alongside Showrunner Eric Robles and Executive Producers the Duffer Brothers.
The story takes place during the winter of 1985, when snow blankets the town and the horrors of the Upside Down are finally fading. Our heroes Eleven, Mike, Will, Dustin, Lucas, and Max have settled back into a normal life of D&D, snowball fights, and quiet days. But beneath the ice, something terrifying has awakened. Could it be from the Upside Down? From the depths of Hawkins Lab? Or from somewhere else entirely? Our heroes must race to solve this mystery and save Hawkins in this new story set in the Stranger Things universe.
All episodes of Stranger Things: Tales From ’85 start streaming on Netflix April 23, 2026.
