Netflix is having a killer 2022 so far, and that only looks to continue with the premiere ofStranger ThingsSeason 4 in May. There have been a few visual teases in the last few months, and now creatorsMattandRoss Dufferhave dropped some more information about the upcoming season that should get any fan of the horror series excited.
DuringDeadline’s Contenders Television Panel, The Duffer Brothers talked about the more expanded scope of the upcoming season. “We kind of jokingly call it ourGame of Thronesseason because it’s so spread out, so I think that’s what’s unique or most unique about the season,” Matt said. He continued on, saying:
“Joyce and Byers family to have left at the end of Season 3. They are in California – we’ve always wanted to have that likeE.T.-esque suburb aesthetic, which we finally got to do this year in the desert; and then we have Hopper in Russia; and then of course we have a group remaining in Hawkins. So we have these three storylines, are all connected and kind of interwoven together, but it’s just very different tones.”
Matt would expand upon the “string of disparate locations”, saying they knew this season would finally see them go outside of Hawkins. However, they did not know how large the scope would end up being. “We didn’t know how big the season was going to get, and we didn’t even realize until we were about halfway through, just in terms of how much story that we wanted to tell this season,” Matt said. The conversation would move back to the popular fantasy series as Matt stated, “Game of Thronesis one thing we’ve referenced, but also for us really what it’s about is revelations, in that we really wanted to start giving the audience some answers.”
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After three seasons in Hawkins, we have been wondering what makes that seemingly average town so special. Apparently fans have not been alone, asStranger Things’ home also wanted answers. “Back when we did Season 1, Netflix just kept going ‘Can you explain all this mythology to us,” Ross said, and continued saying:
So we wrote this giant 20-page document, which talked about everything in terms of what was going on and what exactly the Upside Down was. And then each season we’re just sort of peeling back the layers of that onion, so to speak. But this season, we really wanted to really get into it and [revealing] some of those answers. But to do that properly, we needed time, so it just became bigger and bigger.”
It was also revealed that The Duffer Brothers realized they needed an additional episode to effectively convey the jam packed story they wanted to tell. Even though they came to this conclusion in the middle of the season, Netflix quickly approved that plan. “I don’t think we have an episode clocking in under an hour – even in Season 1 there were episodes that were like 35 minutes. You kind of forget that,” Matt said. He continued on, “This season, they’re very long, so I think it’s almost double the length of any season. So that’s one reason it’s taken so long. It does have this sort of epic quality to it. It’s a different feeling, for sure.”
While length is not automatically an indication of great quality, it is exciting to wonder what will be included in this “epic” season. Even though the show is now just a little over a month away, there is still not much known about the plot. However, knowing thatGame of Throneswas an inspiration could hint at a much deadlier and darker season. Maybe there will be a major character death in the near future? While it is highly unlikely the series would do that, stranger things have happened, pun intended. By all accounts, Season 4 is going to be more of the same, but bigger in every way.
Stranger ThingsSeason 4 will premiere its first half of the season on May 27, before finishing up its remaining episodes on July 1. Until then, you’re able to binge and catch up on the first three seasons right now on Netflix.
