Stranger Things to get stage play about 1959 Hawkins featuring young Hopper, Joyce, and Vecna

A portal has opened up on London's West End, and it's taking us to 1959 Hawkins.

That's right: A Stranger Things stage play, which has been dubbed Stranger Things: The First Shadow, is set to have its world premiere late this year at the Phoenix Theatre in London.

With direction by Stephen Daldry and co-direction by Justin Martin, the play is based on an original story by series creators Matt and Ross Duffer, as well as playwright Jack Thorne and Stranger Things writer and co-executive producer Kate Trefry, who also wrote script.

The official logline reads: "Hawkins, 1959: a regular town with regular worries. Young Jim Hopper's car won't start, Bob Newby's sister won't take his radio show seriously and Joyce Maldonado just wants to graduate and get the hell out of town. When new student Henry Creel arrives, his family finds that a fresh start isn't so easy… and the shadows of the past have a very long reach."

The play is said to be "rooted in the mythology and world of the Netflix global phenomenon" and promises to take "theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension" with a "gripping new adventure that will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end."

It's worth noting this isn't the first time the Stranger Things universe has dipped into Hopper (David Harbour) and Joyce's (Winona Ryder) high school days. On the series, the two briefly reminisced on their time smoking cigarettes together in season 2 episode 2, and their chemistry throughout the show implies a long-shared history beyond what we've seen in present day. (For his part, Harbour told the Los Angeles Times that he believes the two used to date and have "some unfinished business.")

It's also not the first time we've heard the name Henry Creel. Those caught up on season 4 of the show will recall that was the name of the first psychic child that caught Dr. Martin Brenner's (Matthew Modine) attention — otherwise known as One — who would eventually become the series' big bad, Vecna.

In a statement, the Duffer brothers said, "We are beyond excited about Stranger Things: The First Shadow. Collaborating with the brilliant Stephen Daldry has been nothing short of inspiring, and Kate Trefry has written a play that is at turns surprising, scary, and heartfelt. You will meet endearing new characters, as well as very familiar ones, on a journey into the past that sets the groundwork for the future of Stranger Things. We're dying to tell you more about the story but won't — it's more fun to discover it for yourself. Can't wait to see you nerds in London!"

Stranger Things: The First Shadow will feature set design by Miriam Buether; costume design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel; lighting design by Jon Clark; sound design by Paul Arditti, illusions design by Jamie Harrison & Chris Fisher; video design by 59 Productions, movement direction by Coral Messam; wigs, hair and make-up design by Campbell Young Associates; casting by Charlotte Sutton CDG; international casting consultancy by Jim Carnahan; and Gary Beestone for Gary Beestone Associates as Technical Director. Further creative team members and casting is still to be announced.

Produced by Netflix and Sonia Friedman Productions, the play will go on sale this spring, details of which will be announced later this month. The Duffer Brothers act as creative producers, with 21 Laps as associate producer. Additionally, priority access to tickets will be given to fans who register starting Wednesday at strangerthingsonstage.com.

The play isn't the only expansion going on in the Stranger Things universe. Last July, the Duffer brothers announced that the stage play and a Stranger Things spin-off series, "based on an original idea" by the siblings, are just a couple of the many works they have in development.

All of Stranger Things season 4 is streaming now on Netflix, with a fifth and final season forthcoming.

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