It's been nearly two years since we last heard anything new about Eleven and friends' or their chaotic adventure from the third season of Stranger Things in 2019. The third season takes you to the summer of 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, where the gang fights "forces of evil that are new."
Now, Eleven and co are back for season 4 to pick up what the previous storyline left off, and we're here to discuss all the juicy parts the producers, cast members, and writers have dropped about the upcoming season.
WARNING: This article contains several spoilers!
10 What Do These Cryptic Teasers Mean?
Up to this writing, there's only one 50-second long teaser trailer released by Netflix, containing several key moments and arts. The clip takes you to the laboratory where Dr. Brenner experimented on children in Season One and Two before sinister clock ticks in the background. From the looks of it, plus the recent pictures of the cast members appearing bloodied and bruised, season four is going to be one heck of a ride.
9 Yes, Hopper Is Alive & Well In Russia
There's one more thing that the teaser reveals. The character whom everyone thought is dead, Jim Hopper, is in fact well and alive in Russia. The 44-year-old detective survived the catastrophic blast of Season 3's finale and in fact, "imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia."
8 The Show Will Welcome Several New Faces
In addition to David Harbour as Jim Hopper and the show's regulars like Winona Ryder (Joyce), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), and more, Stranger Things will welcome several new faces for season four. Tom Wlaschica from Games of Thrones is Dmitri, a "smart and charming Russian prison guard." Teenwolf's Mason Dye will play a "handsome, rich athlete dating the most popular girl in high school." Robert Englund takes on the roles of Victor Creel, a horrendously disturbing inmate in a psychiatric hospital.
7 Production Began Back In 2019
Due to the success of Season 3, Netflix quickly began the blueprint development of Season 4 in 2019.
"Assuming there’s a season 4, obviously the question of who that American is in that cell and then also what they’re doing with the Demogorgon, is a tease," writer Ross Duffer told Entertainment Weekly back then.
6 Filming Was Delayed Due To The Pandemic
However, the production has been severely impacted by the ongoing pandemic. Only after two weeks of filming back in March 2020, Netflix halted the production of Stranger Things and several of its other originals including The Witcher, You, Lucifer Season 5, and Russian Doll. The filming finally resumed again in September 2020.
5 As Usual, The Duffer Brothers Will Be Heavily Involved
Shortly after Season 3, the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things showrunners, signed a lucrative multi-year TV/film deal reportedly worth nine figures. Interestingly, Season 4 hasn't been marketed as "finale," meaning that the Brothers still have a lot in store for the world of The Upside Down.
"From our first pitch meeting to the release of Stranger Things 3, the entire team at Netflix has been nothing short of sensational, providing us with the kind of support, guidance, and creative freedom we always dreamed about," said the Duffer Brothers as noted by Entertainment Weekly.
4 It Will Consist Of Nine Episodes
Furthermore, the showrunners have confirmed that there will be nine episodes in Season 4. The writers have confirmed "The Hellfire Clu," as the official title of the season's episode opener. There are also rumors about "The Survivor," "Thankful Meeting," "The American," "Murray, Hurray," and "Hell's Final Breath" as the titles of several episodes.
3 Set Locations Have Varied From Atlanta & New Mexico, USA, To Vilnius, Lithuania
As mentioned above, Stranger Things Season 4 will explore the world outside The Upside Down, granting the writers more canvas to paint and the flexibility to give Jim Hopper a more complex background. The filming occurred around the Atlanta metro area, as well as Netflix's Albuquerque Studios in New Mexico. In Europe, the team took the recently decommissioned Lukiskes Prison in Vilnius, Lithuania, as the season's place setting.
2 The Filming Is Initially Set To Be Wrapped Up In August
However, there's one promising update coming from David Harbour (Jim). Speaking to Jimmy Kimmel, the Hopper star stated that the filming process is close to being wrapped up, saying that "I've got one more like, little stint, we should be done in like August." Maybe Season 4 will air in the winter?
1 Unfortunately, It Won't Likely Be Released This Year ... Or?
Unfortunately, the chance of Season 4 being released this year is almost slim to none. Delays caused by the pandemic are thought as the primary reason.
"It's definitely a slower process than usual, which is really saying something because we take our sweet time making the show anyway. So it's not as steady-paced or as consistent as I think any of us would like it to be," Gaten Matarazzo told People previously.
However, the most recent teaser, uploaded to YouTube, was captioned with "002/004," leading many fans to believe Season 4 won't be released until February 4, 2022. Others have said it simply means two out of four teasers have been shared, and we should expect to see two more before the show premieres.