The final season of Stranger Things remains a distant dream for fans, and until Netflix decides to release it, they can watch similar shows and movies, like one of J.J. Abrams’ projects from 2011. The sci-fi horror drama TV series, created by the Duffer Brothers, premiered in 2016 and has been a global phenomenon ever since. It will be tough for any piece of media to replace Stranger Things. However, fans can look to other films or shows that came before or after it that share many commonalities with Stranger Things, like the aforementioned 2011 sci-fi movie.
The cast and crew wrapped production on Stranger Things season 5 in December 2024, and Netflix is expected to release the episodes on an undisclosed date in 2025.
Stranger Things season 5 is the end of the road for the Netflix series. After almost a decade, the beloved characters will join forces to face the horrors of the Upside Down one last time before viewers say goodbye. Unfortunately, this final act has been a few years in the making, meaning fans have had to wait a long time for season 5. The wait has been tiresome for many. But, the good news is that the end is near, and fans can check out a movie with a premise almost identical to Stranger Things‘ during the home stretch of the wait for season 5.
Super 8 Is Basically A Movie Version Of Stranger Things
J.J. Abrams Wrote & Directed The 2011 Sci-Fi Film
Five years before Netflix released Stranger Things, J.J. Abrams’ Super 8 hit theaters. Similar to the Duffer Brothers’ TV show, the sci-fi thriller revolves around teenagers who stumble upon something peculiar in their small Midwestern town. When the friend group is shooting a movie for a Super 8 film compeтιтion at a train station late at night, they witness a crash. In the following days, strange occurrences, like missing dogs, plague the town.
|
Super 8 Cast |
Role |
|---|---|
|
Elle Fanning |
Alice Dainard |
|
Kyle Chandler |
Deputy Jack Lamb |
|
Joel Courtney |
Joseph “Joe” Francis Lamb |
|
Gabriel Bᴀsso |
Martin Read |
|
Noah Emmerich |
Colonel Nelec |
|
Ron Eldard |
Louis Dainard |
|
Riley Griffiths |
Charles Kaznyk |
|
Ryan Lee |
Cary McCarthy |
|
Zach Mills |
Preston Scott |
|
AJ Michalka |
Jen Kaznyk |
|
Bruce Greenwood |
Cooper |
Super 8 is also a period piece, as it takes place in 1979, just a few years before Will Byers went missing in Stranger Things season 1. That, combined with parallel sci-fi elements, suggests that fans of the show will enjoy the movie. Super 8 is essentially the film version of Stranger Things, and it’s worth watching while waiting for season 5 in 2025.
Super 8 Is Great, So Why Isn’t It Talked About More Today?
The Movie Is Sorely Underrated
Whereas Stranger Things became a global sensation shortly after its premiere, Super 8 faded into the background. The J.J. Abrams movie has a compelling, thrilling sci-fi story. However, its success never came close to the Netflix show’s, despite its 81 percent Rotten Tomatoes score. Super 8 evidently received positive reviews, but its scope was limited, meaning not many saw it, resulting in its status as an underrated film. Nevertheless, Super 8 is still the perfect movie to watch while waiting for Stranger Things season 5.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes
