‘Stranger Things’ Season 4: Your Complete Guide

Expectations for Stranger Things Season 4 are high, but it can be hard to separate fans’ theories and hopes from the real reports so far. The Netflix original series is expected to return soon, and when it does, you will want to be up to date to stand a chance against the tide of theories and speculation. Keep reading to get every detail about the new season that is out so far.

Stranger Things has always combined science fiction, fantasy, and horror in a perfect symphony of 1980s nostalgia. Season 4 will be no exception, and it looks like it may even go further than any part of the show before. Sadly, filming on this season was badly interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, and the ripple effects of those delays are probably keeping fans from seeing Season 4 right now. For better or worse, that additional time also gave fans more time to build up their theories and settle on the predictions they absolutely need to be correct.

Stranger Things Season 4 has been in the works for a long time now, and as you might expect, some tidbits from the set have gradually leaked out. Netflix has also made announcements where it can, though, on a show like this, even the studio may be practicing misdirection. Here’s a look at what we know so far about the upcoming season.

Release Schedule

Netflix has not officially announced a release date, but we can make some educated guesses based on the show’s filming schedule and its coronavirus disruptions. The show began filming in January of 2020 and then shut down when the pandemic hit. It was not able to resume until October of 2020. Filming was estimated to take about seven months, though of course, the hiatus could have thrown that estimate out the window.

With all that in mind, plus the fact that Netflix hasn’t even hinted at a year or a quarter for the show to come out, it seems safe to assume that Stranger Things Season 4 will not premiere until 2022.

Filming Complete

We can make more guesses about the release based on when filming for the series will end. In a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Stranger Things star David Harbour said: “we should be done in, like, August.” If that’s the case, a report by Collider estimates that post-production on Stranger Things typically takes around 4 months, so the show would be finished around December or January.

Still, Netflix is not likely to rush the new season onto its catalog as soon as it’s done. The streamer may wait for a holiday weekend or other prime occasion to release the show once it’s finished. That means some weekend in January, February or even March will be completely given over to binge-watching.

From Russia With Love

The first teaser for the new season came out in February of 2020, before filming was brought to a halt. It shows almost a minute of dramatic footage in Russia, where Hopper “David Harbour” is stranded.

Teaser 2

The second teaser for the new season came out on Thursday, May 6. It shows a research facility full of children in hospital gowns before slowly panning to a room where Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) is apparently being held.

Episode Titles

The most concrete clue about the season we have after that is the first episode title — “Chapter One: The Hellfire Club.” This is a reference to the main characters’ Dungeons and Dragons club, hinting that the game will come into play somehow. Beyond that, everything else is speculation.

Plot Details

Obviously, the plot of Stranger Things Season 4 will remain a mystery until it premieres, though some details have slipped out. The official Netflix synopsis tells us that it will pick up with Hopper imprisoned in Kamchatka, Russia, where “he will face dangers both human… and other.” In addition, according to Collider the Duffer Brothers have confirmed that the new season will explore beyond Hawkins, Indiana, as hinted by Eleven moving out of the town with the Byers family at the end of Season 3.