Stranger Things 4 will be on Netflix this spring and it seems like ages since we saw the Hawkins gang fight the Mind Flayer at the Starcourt Mall. The third series was a full three years ago, so it wouldn't be unusual if you'd forgotten what had happened.
We'll remind you of the basics below (so, you know, spoiler alert) but also the essential information you want to know in the run up to the fourth series. Read more TV news, here.
In a note from creators, the Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, series four will also be the penultimate season for Stranger Things, which first debuted on Netflix in 2016. They wrote in a statement: "With nine scripts, over eight-hundred pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effect shots and a runtime nearly twice the length of any previous season, Stranger Things 4 was the most challenging season yet, but also the most rewarding one."
So let's find out all the essentials. And watch the full trailer above.
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When will Stranger Things 4 be on Netflix?
Part one will be out on May 27 while the second part will be released five weeks later on July 1. The Duffer brothers added that it will be "bigger than ever" and that it's going to be split into two volumes to get it to viewers "as soon as possible". The statement was accompanied by four new images of the show, each showing groups of characters in different locations. The Lab (probably Hawkins), Russia, Creel House - a new location and California.
What happened at the end of series 3?
As we saw at the end of series three, the Hawkins gang was split following the showdown at Starcourt, with Chief Hopper (David Harbour) transported to a USSR prison, Joyce along with Jonathan, Will, Eleven went to California, while the remainder stayed in Hawkins, the setting for the past three seasons.
Max's step-brother, Billy, who had been taken over by the Mind Flayer, came good and saved the gang from the monster, but ended up sacrificing himself.
What will the new series be about?
The official synopsis reads: "It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down."
Who will be in cast?
Regulars Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Will (Noah Schnapp), Max (Sadie Sink), Steve (Joe Keery), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), Robin (Maya Hawke) and Joyce (Winona Ryder), among others will return for sure. Of course, we also know David Harbour will be back as Chief Hopper.
New additions to the cast are the king of 1980s horror, Robert Englund aka Freddie Kruger and he is seen in the trailer as a creepy character with his eyes stiched up. Game of Thrones' Tom Wlaschiha (Jaqen H'ghar) is Dmitri, a "smart and charming Russian prison guard". Also added are Black Lightening's Myles Truitt will take on the role of Hawkins basketball player Patrick, whose life will end up "spiraling out of control" following some "shocking events", while Amybeth McNulty (Anne with an E) will play Vickie, described as "a cool, fast-talking band nerd who catches the eye of one of our beloved heroes".
Stream the first three seasons of Stranger Things on Netflix now.
