For a long time, Stranger Things was the most popular piece of content that involved Dungeons & Dragons, however with the release of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, more D&D is in the media space and some Stranger Things fans may be expecting too many similarities between the two. Netflix’s Stranger Things is a sci-fi drama about a group of friends who discover supernatural forces in their Indiana hometown in the 1980s. Meanwhile, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves follows a thief and his unlikely party as they try to save his daughter and collect an ancient relic.
Though Stranger Things has ties to many cultural moments, one of its biggest connections is to Dungeons & Dragons. The series not only shows characters playing the game, but popular monsters from D&D lore have appeared in the show as main villains, including The Mind Flayer and Vecna. While fans of Stranger Things may see Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves expecting more of what they’ve already seen in the Netflix show, they will likely be disappointed. Although they share similar source materials, the two prove to be incredibly different adaptations.
Vecna & The Mind Flayer Aren’t In Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves
Despite hopes or expectations, Stranger Things’ Vecna and The Mind Flayer do not appear in Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. The Mind Flayer was introduced in Stranger Things season 2 as a massive and horrifying monster made up of black particles that resembled a giant spider in the sky. It lived in the Upside Down and asserted mind control over various other beasts in the alternate dimension. Meanwhile, Vecna is the main villain of Stranger Things seasons 4 and 5. His influence from the Upside Down leaks into the real world which he intends to conquer. Both of these villains originate from Dungeons & Dragons and could reasonably appear in the latest film, though they do not.
In Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, the main D&D villain is a Red Wizard of Thay named Sofina, along with a regular human con man. Along with Vecna and The Mind Flayer, the Red Wizards of Thay are popular villains in Dungeons & Dragons, specifically in the Forgotten Realms campaign setting. While they have a vast history of evil doings, the Red Wizards’ main mission is creating a nation of the undead, which is what Sofina attempts in the film.
Why Dungeons & Dragons Movies Likely Won’t Include Stranger Things’ Monsters
Although it may be exciting to see monsters from Stranger Things appear in a Dungeons & Dragons movie, the likelihood of them appearing is low. The most important reason for this is because the Dungeons & Dragons movies need to set themselves apart from other content about the game. If they included Vecna, then viewers might associate it too much with Stranger Things. Furthermore, it’s important for the Dungeons & Dragons movies to include different monsters because audiences who may not be familiar with the game can be introduced to unfamiliar villains. It’s important for viewers to be surprised and engaged, and using new monsters is important for achieving this goal.
This being said it’s not impossible for Vecna or The Mind Flayer to appear in future Dungeons & Dragons content. While these monsters are fresh in audiences’ minds at the moment, they could reappear much further in the future, especially if the game continues to be adapted. For now though, it will be exciting to see the rise of new D&D monsters and watch them become as well-known (and feared) as Stranger Things’ Vecna.