If you are not aware, Netflix’s paranormal series Stranger Things is to return on Oct. 27 to the town of Hawkins, Indiana.
Creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, told Rolling Stone that the pitch for a show starring 4 kids (at least 1 of whom may be more than she seems) was “rejected 15 to 20 times by various networks,” but the sleeper hit of 2016 was popular, and the streaming giant already greenlit a third season.
Netflix is pulling out stops on social media in the weeks leading up to Season 2. Last month, the official Twitter account had begun giving fans what they want by launching a recap of every episode from the first season with the hashtag #StrangerThursdays and tied each episode to a ’80s film.
The art team at the show had paid homage to each film’s poster while placing Stranger Things cast members in the universe. The tweets included copy referencing the movies that inspired them.
The first was 1986’s Stand By Me.
Then came A Nightmare in Hawkins, a tribute to Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street from 1984.
Schwarzenegger fans will surely recognize this recreation of 1987’s The Running Man.
The Alien which was directed by Ridley Scott was released in 1979. Close to the ’80s.
Firestarter, which had furthered Drew Barrymore’s career in 1984 after her appearance in E.T., was the 3rd film in the series based on Stephen King’s book.
Everyone’s favorite horror flick, 1981’s The Evil Dead, has also made an appearance.
The latest image released recreates history’s best-known movie poster: Jaws. Spielberg’s classic dates from 1975, and appears that anything goes at this point.
In what appears to be a final promo in the series, the team turned to the series’ obvious inspirations, 1985’s The Goonies.
It is the attention to detail that makes the faux posters stand out. From taglines to fonts, they are faithful tributes to all films that have served as touchpoints for the sort of viewers who obsess over Stranger Things.
The retro effect is keeping with past efforts to promote a series with references to movies honored in the campaign.
Netflix works with a lot of agencies to promote the original series, but the effort appears to have been done by its in-house marketing team. The company has not yet responded to requests for more information on their work.
