How Netflix Leveraged ‘Stranger Things’ Buzz to Boost ‘The First Shadow’ Ticket Sales on Broadway

Fans left the Dec. 19 performance of “Stranger Things: The First Shadow” buzzing after a once-in-a-lifetime moment: Jamie Campbell Bower, who plays Henry Creel/Vecna on the hit Netflix series, made a surprise cameo in the show’s epilogue.

“That was one of the coolest reveals of all-time,” one fan told his partner on the escalator after the performance at Broadway’s Marquis Theater.

Bower appeared briefly in the final scene of the play, which centers on an adolescent Henry Creel (Louis McCartney) grappling with his dark powers after moving to Hawkins, Indiana, in 1959. In the epilogue, an older Creel is introduced to a young Eleven in the iconic Rainbow Room location of Hawkins Lab, a moment that directly links the Broadway prequel to the timeline of “Stranger Things.”

“Getting to see Henry’s full humanity in his childhood, it’s something I took a lot of care over building the character,” Bower told Variety the night before making his Broadway debut. “So to see that, and for fans to experience that — and get to know him and feel him — is a gift.”

Within minutes, videos of Bower bowing on stage alongside “The First Shadow” cast began circulating on social media. Reactions ranged from fans asking how the play connects to the TV series to calls for a taping of the production to be streamed on Netflix. “Wow, so jealous!” one user wrote. “I would have love[d] to see that.”

The surprise appearance, which was only revealed to a select group of reporters under strict embargo, instantly ignited buzz, curiosity and FOMO across the “Stranger Things” fandom.

“Bower’s cameo was billed as a one-time appearance,” Netflix said in a statement, “though its impact on fans — and the show’s mythology — will likely linger far longer.”

The meticulously timed moment arrives amid a surge of momentum for “The First Shadow,” which has seen a sustained spike in ticket sales across both its Broadway and West End productions following the launch of the final season. According to production sources, sales are now at their highest levels since the show’s initial openings, with audiences booking not only for the traditionally strong holiday weeks but well into 2026 — a sign of continued fan appetite for the franchise’s expanding universe.

“The First Shadow” expands the “Stranger Things” mythology in a way that contrasts with Marvel’s Disney+ model, which often introduces characters and plot threads in limited series that later surface in theatrical releases with minimal recap. Many of the pivotal moments that define Henry Creel’s origin in “The First Shadow,” meanwhile, will be rehashed on screen in Volume 2 of the final season in the form of Vecna’s memories. “That’s what we call our new Russia storyline,” Matt Duffer told Variety. “We’re very happy with how it integrates with the other storylines.”

Another benefit favoring the Broadway production is its tight focus on the small-town bubble of Hawkins residents that fans grew to love on “Stranger Things.” Every character listed in the playbill either appears in — or is directly connected to — someone on the Netflix series:

• Virginia Creel (Rosie Benton) — Henry Creel/Vecna’s mother
• Dr. Martin Brenner (Alex Breaux) — a younger Dr. Brenner (Matthew Modine)
• Patty’s Mom (Ta’Rea Campbell) — mother of Patty Newby, Bob Newby’s sister
• Alice Creel (Lia Christina, Francesca Yhlen) — Henry Creel/Vecna’s younger sister
• Charles Sinclair (Robert T. Cunningham) — Lucas Sinclair’s father
• Sue Anderson (Ayana Cymone) — later known as Sue Sinclair, Lucas’ mother
• Walter Henderson (Ian Dolley) — father of Dustin Henderson
• Karen Childress (Dora Dolphin) — later Karen Wheeler (Cara Buono)
• Lonnie Byers (Logan Gould) — Joyce Byers’ abusive ex-husband (Ross Partridge)
• Claudia Yount (Shea Grant) — later known as Claudia Henderson, Dustin’s mother
• Principal Newby (Andrew Hovelson) — Bob Newby’s father
• Joyce Maldonado (Alison Jaye) — later known as Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder)
• Victor Creel (T.R. Knight) — Henry Creel/Vecna’s father
• Chief Hopper/Captain Brenner (Ted Koch) — father of Jim Hopper
• Ted Wheeler (Jamie Martin Mann) — Mike Wheeler’s father
• Henry Creel (Louis McCartney) — later transforms into Vecna
• Bob Newby (Patrick Scott McDermott) — a younger Bob Newby (Sean Astin)
• Patty Newby (Gabrielle Nevaeh) — Bob Newby’s sister
• James Hopper Jr. (Burke Swanson) — a younger Jim Hopper (David Harbour)
• Alan Munson (Eric Wiegand) — Eddie Munson’s father

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” also earned four trophies at this year’s Tony Awards, including best scenic design of a play (Miriam Buether and 59), best lighting design (Jon Clark) and best sound design (Paul Arditti). The production also received a Special Tony Award honoring its illusions and technical effects team: Jamie Harrison, Chris Fisher, Gary Beestone and Edward Pierce.

How long the production will play on Broadway remains unclear, but with the final episodes of “Stranger Things” releasing on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve, there’s little indication that the momentum will die down anytime soon.