'Stranger Things' posters pay tribute to horror classics

The marketing for "Stranger Things" is full of throwback horror movie references, as seen in these pitch-perfect movie poster tributes covering famous flicks like "Alien" and "Running Man." "Stranger Things" returns to Netflix on Oct. 27. 

If this poster looks familiar, it's because it's a play on the one sheet for the shark infested 1975 Steven Spielberg classic "Jaws." Instead of a shark, we get the gaping mouth of the demogorgon, a monster seen in the first season.

"In The Upside Down, no one can hear you scream" is the tagline for this "Alien" tribute poster used to advertise "Stranger Things" on Netflix. It manages to be just as creepy as the original poster for the 1979 sci-fi horror film.

Police Chief Jim Hopper (David Harbour) stars in this poster designed to mimic the "Running Man" poster for the 1987 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. It's one in a series of tribute posters created for "Stranger Things."

It's no secret the creators of the Netflix hit "Stranger Things" are strongly influenced by 1980s horror flicks, especially movies based on the work of Stephen King. 

This design plays off the poster for "Stand By Me," a 1986 coming-of-age drama based on a King novella. Netflix released the image on social media in early August.

The 1984 Wes Craven horror movie "A Nightmare on Elm Street" gets a "Stranger Things" tribute with this spoof poster. Instead of slasher Freddy Kreuger, we glimpse the demogorgon monster in the background.

"Stranger Things" returns to Netflix for its second season on Oct. 27. 

This "Stranger Things" poster tips its hat to the bloody 1981 horror movie "The Evil Dead." In this version, we see ill-fated character Joyce and get the revamped tagline "Joyce got up on the wrong side of The Upside Down."

Stephen King's pyrokinetic "Firestarter" novel became a movie in 1984. "Stranger Things" paid tribute to its influence on the Netflix show with this spoof advertising poster showing Eleven backlit like the young main character of "Firestarter."