Stranger Things Season 4: Release Date, Cast & Trailer

Photo: KFOG

It sounds like Stranger Things season 4 is going to be a big leap forward for all involved. Not only has Gaten Matarazzo (who plays Dustin) teased a more mature and scary tone, the star also teased some stuff about the scripts, which brought up more questions than answers.

So, even if we're going to be waiting a while to see what's up(side down) in Hawkins, we've got reason to stay excited for the return of the series. And there is some light at the end of this murky tunnel, as Stranger Things season 4 is currently filming. Plus, leaked set photos have revealed the new cast members joining the Netflix show.

Stranger Things season 4 will take place (in part) far from Hawkins, Indiana. And leaked set photos have revealed that there are new cast members coming on board. So, what changes are in store for Eleven, Dustin, Will, Steve and the rest of the folks who survived last year's mall massacre?

If you're like us, and completed Stranger Things 3 in less time than it takes to hang up your holiday lights, we're guessing you too are on the lookout for information. Here's everything that's been confirmed, a few rumors and theories and everything we want to know about the next adventures of the best kids on Netflix.

Stranger Things season 4: Release date

The Stranger Things season 4 release date hasn't been revealed yet. Netflix tends to angle its release date around public holidays such as Halloween for season 2, or the 4th of July for season 3 – depending on the time of year within Stranger Things itself.

Photo: TechRadar

If things were normal season 4 may have been ready for early 2021: a report from What's on Netflix suggests that filming would have likely finished in August before post-production was due to start.

But in reality, while the script was completed a while back, production began in March 2020, and was quickly at a standstill due to the coronavirus. Filming then resumed in October 2020:

We had predicted we'd see Stranger Things season 4 debut this spring, to tie in with the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster in April, but due to the delays, we now think a late 2021 release date seems much more likely.

Speaking with Vogue, Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler) mentioned that, in terms of Stranger Things season 4, "while I can't say a lot, except that it’s going to be a while before it comes out, it will definitely be worth it. It’s going to be really big."

But while season 4 won't be the final one, the Stranger Things ending is planned. "Season 4 won't be the end," Ross Duffer told THR, "We know what the end is, and we know when it is." Duffer also went on to explain how the pandemic has given the team extra time to map out the show's conclusion and finish the script. But, in other words, Stranger Things season 5 is almost definitely happening.

There are one Stranger Things season 4 trailer so far, and you can watch it above. It's just a teaser, but it's our only glimpse of the next season right now.

Stranger Things season 4: Cast

All of your favorites are back for Stranger Things season 4. Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Gaten Matarazzo, Sadie Sink, Maya Hawke, Joe Keery, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, and Cara Buono are back as series regulars for the new season, reported Netflix Life.

Photo: FandomWire

Priah Ferguson, who stars as Erica Sinclair, and Brett Gelman, who stars as Murray Bauman, were upped to series regulars for Stranger Things season 4.

There are rumors that Matthew Modine, who plays Dr. Brenner, will be back in Stranger Things season 4. Netflix has yet to confirm the casting yet.

We’ve yet to hear about some of the returning cast for the upcoming season, but we should learn more in the coming weeks and months.

Are there any new characters in Stranger Things season 4?

There are a bunch of new characters in Stranger Things season 4! It’s really exciting there will be so many new faces in the season.

Back in November 2020, Netflix announced eight new actors joined the cast of Stranger Things season 4. Jamie Campbell Bower, Joseph Quinn, and Eduardo Franco are the new series regular in season 4. They’ll have a bigger role than the other new characters.

Photo: Deadline

Eduardo Franco stars as Argyle, Jonathan’s new best friend and pizza delivery boy. Joseph Quinn plays Eddie Munson, the leader of The Hellfire Club, the Hawkins High D&D club. And, Jamie Campbell Bower will plays Peter Ballard, a guy who works at a psychiatric facility.

We have at least five more new characters in season 4, including horror legend Robert Englund, best known for playing Freddy Krueger. Englund will play Victor Creel, a murderer in a psychiatric facility.

The other four new cast members are Tom Wlaschiha as Dmitri, a Russian guard at the prison where Hopper is being held; Nikola Djuricko as Yuri, a Russian smuggler; Mason Dye as Jason Carver, a popular teen who is dating the most popular girl at Hawkins High; and Sherman Augustus as Lt. Colonel Sullivan.

We know the most about Yuri after the latest Stranger Things season 4 teaser. It sounds like Yuri owns a Fish and Fly company in Anchorage, Alaska. Could he be the ticket to saving Hopper? We’ll have to wait and see!

There are rumors that other new characters are in Stranger Things season 4, including Levon Thurman Hawke, who is Maya Hawke’s brother. That casting has yet to be confirmed.

Stranger Things season 4: Plot

In terms of "The American" that the Russians spoke of being locked in one of their base's rooms (one of which also has a Demogorgon), many speculated that this person was Dr. Martin Brenner. But the return of Hopper makes us think otherwise.

The show will likely need to use some plot device to pull the Byers family from their new home, back to Hawkins.

While the new season will likely spend some time there or elsewhere — The Duffers told EW that season 4 is "going to open up a little bit...not necessarily in terms of scale, in terms of special effects, but open up in terms of allowing plotlines into areas outside of Hawkins."

That makes us doubt the show would end without a return to where it all began.

As for other storylines, in an interview with Teen Vogue, Sadie Sink said her character Max will likely spend some time hiding the trauma of losing her brother Billy: "I think it makes sense for her, because that’s kind of as messed up as their relationship was ... [Billy’s death] still really affects the dynamic within her family. But in true Max fashion, she’s not going to let anyone see how she’s really feeling at some points. You see her just pretending that everything’s fine, when really, everything’s changed for her. She’s in a completely different emotional headspace."

One big bit of unresolved business is how Eleven has lost her powers, and will probably spend some time trying to regain them. Will Brenner be crucial to that as well? A wild fan theory, floated by Express.co.uk, claims that Eleven might actually be Hopper's daughter. This is pure speculation and at times seems like they're stretching things, so don't bet on it yet.

There's even speculation of an entire season taking place in The Upside Down, or at least focusing on a quest to free Hopper from the scary world.

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