Fans have been eagerly anticipating season four for what feels like forever, with every new piece of footage being met with excitement and scrutiny.
Whenever Netflix releases a new trailer, , die-hard superfans wonder (and ) what horrors might befall Eleven (), Mike (), Hopper () and the rest of the gang.
To be fair, season three did drop all the way back in July 2019, and on the new series – so superfans have had an awfully long wait for new Stranger Things.
So, when is the fourth season out? And what can we expect from Stranger Things 4, as it will be known?
Here’s all the latest news.
When will Stranger Things season 4 be out?
Good news Hawkins fans, Stranger Things season four will be out in May and July 2022.
It’s The first will arrive on Netflix on May 27, with volume two following not long after on July 1. There will be nine episodes in total.
We also know the name of the very first episode, which will be: Chapter One: The Hellfire Club.
Stranger Things creators The Duffer Brothers have also revealed that not only will season four be the longest yet, it will be the penultimate season of the beloved show.
In an open letter to fans posted on the official Matt and Ross Duffer called season four the ‘most challenging season yet’ – but added that it was the ‘most rewarding’.
They said: ‘Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for Stranger Things. At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons.
‘It proved too large to tell in four, but – as you’ll soon see for yourselves – we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season four will be the penultimate season; season five will be the last.
‘First, we hope that you stay with us as we finish this tale of a powerful girl named Eleven and her brave friends, of a broken police chief and a ferocious mom, of a small town called Hawkins and an alternate dimension known only as the Upside Down.
‘As always, we’re grateful for your patience and support,’ they concluded.
What’s the plot of Stranger Things 4?
As with any season of Stranger Things, exact plot details have been kept under wraps, but we do know some details.
When the season was first announced, the Duffer brothers released a statement explaining what fans can expect.
The brothers said: ‘We’re excited to officially announce that production for Stranger Things 4 is now underway—and even more excited to announce the return of Hopper!’
‘Although it’s not all good news for our ‘American’; [Hopper] is imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, Russia, where he will face dangers both human… and other. Meanwhile, back in the States, a new horror is beginning to surface, something long buried, something that connects everything…’
In April 2022, it was revealed that the main villain of this season – as seen in the newest trailer – is called , after the Dungeons & Dragons character of the same name.
See the most recent Stranger Things 4 trailer
The most recent Stranger Things 4 trailer dropped on Tuesday, April 12 2022 – with around six weeks left to go until launch.
The three-minute, 16-second long trailer begins with an ominous message about suffering, before Max Mayfield (Sadie Sink) reads out loud a letter she’s written to her deceased brother Billy.
‘Ever since you left,’ she reads, ‘it’s been a total disaster. For a while, we tried to be happy. Normal. But it’s impossible.’
Fans are then given a glimpse of some eerie scenes: a ticking grandfather clock, a look at the Russian prison where Hopper is locked up, and Joyce Byers receiving a mysterious package.
A powerless Eleven is also told: ‘Without you, we can’t win this war.’ And plenty of dramatic supernatural scenes – including creatures from the Upside Down – follow.
Also sparking plenty of interest was a teaser trailer released last year on November 6.
This trailer opted for a focus on Eleven’s seemingly cushy new life in sunny California, as she recalls her experience in a new state and high school in a letter to Mike.
But, of course, the teaser was’t short of the explosive action we’d expect from the worldwide phenomenon.
Who’s in the Stranger Things season 4 cast?
Everyone’s favourite faces will be returning to the silver screen.
You can expect to see , David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, , Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin and Noah Schnapp all reprise their leading roles.
Also returning are Sadie Sink, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson and Cara Buono.
While Billy Hargrove sacrificed himself to save his sister at the end of season three, and there’s a shot of his grave in the newest trailer – we do see a glimpse of actor Dacre Montgomery too. So, the character will likely briefly appear in some form or other.
There are some new additions lined up for the fourth season, too, including Booksmart actor Eduardo Franco, Small Axe star Joseph Quinn and Westworld’s Sherman Augustus.
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