Stranger Things’ fourth season promo has been undermined by a major spoiler leak ahead of its release on May 27. Online images have leaked from an official Monopoly board game tied to the new season of the sci-fi hit that appears to have made its way onto some store shelves early. Several key plot points in the new episodes are covered in the images from the game’s cards which started circulating via a Reddit thread in April.
On Reddit, a thread devoted to the leak claims the game was purchased by a consumer at “a nationally recognized retailer and purchased fair and square by a consumer. Nobody stole it; nobody leaked a sample.” Those purchase details are not verified.
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Some retailers are advertising Monopoly games based on past seasons of Stranger Things, but eBay is allegedly selling a few copies of the season four version. It is unclear how the game received such an early distribution ahead of the release of the first part of the season. Part two is not due out until July. However, a source told The Hollywood Reporter that it’s likely that a Monopoly game just got lost in the shuffle since the franchise has become so massive.
Another source close to the show said that, though its producers participate in and approve most of the show’s promotional and consumer products, Stranger Things is so sizable and diverse that the Monopoly game must have received accidental approval. “Lessons have been learned, and, I expect, there will be more cohesion going into season five,” the source told THR.
Currently, no major retailers are selling the Season 4 Monopoly board game online. Information and graphics from previous seasons are used for marketing the game. Despite going to great lengths to keep season details under wraps, the show’s creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, are extremely upset by the leak, according to a report from The Hollywood Reporter. The outlet described the brothers as having a “total meltdown” about the incident.
The Duffer Brothers have said that season four will be very different and explore locations outside Hawkins to “open up plot lines.” They also confirmed that the season would tackle the mid-credits scene from the third season finale. According to Netflix, Stranger Things will end after season 5. The show’s creators have suggested that there might be a sequel or spinoff series beyond the series’ current plot and cast.
