After a long wait, “Stranger Things” returns to Netflix next week on May 27.
Because of the long break since the last season, the Hawkins Gang are all now depressed middle-aged adults struggling with mortgages and high blood pressure.
Sounds like a bold new direction. Fortunately, it also is false, and therefore not a spoiler.
But all jokes aside, it’s been three years since the last season of “Stranger Things” hit Netflix (NFLX). So fans are desperate to see what’s new with Eleven & Co.
But people who can’t wait another week and love spoilers can now apparently learn what happens in the fourth season by heading to the toy store.
And Netflix is really not happy about that.
So Why Is Netflix Mad At A Board Game?
Hasbro (HAS) has released a new Monopoly board game tied into the upcoming new season of “Stranger Things.”
Images from the game reportedly spoil the upcoming season, according to The Hollywood Reporter, and have begun circulating in online forums.
The show’s creators and producers, Matt and Ross Duffer, are notoriously secretive about details about the show and have reportedly had a “total meltdown” concerning the leak.
It’s unclear which specific Monopoly game included the spoilers, as there are several "Stranger Things"-associated versions listed on Amazon.
It could be a case where the merchandise was made available before the conscripted on sale embargo common for such things.
Several Season Four Monopoly “Stranger Things” are currently available on eBay.
“Stranger Things” is one of Netflix’s biggest hits, and also one of its biggest cash cows when it comes to ancillary revenue.
Whatever sort of merchandise you might want, from Funko Pops to theme rides, you can find it.
It would seem that there’s so much going on with the franchise that this is just one of those things that slipped through the cracks.
Merchandise Can Be A Problem
While it’s not necessarily easy for a studio to prevent spoilers from leaking concerning its upcoming films and TV shows, it can be done.
Strict NDAs, cell phone bans, fake scripts and scripts with codewords, fake scenes shot to throw leakers off the scent — those are all common industry practice when trying to keep a lid on a highly anticipated new season.
But merchandise is a whole different issue.
A licensed action figure may well move through various factories and distributors before reaching a Toys“R”Us (VNO) or online marketplaces, meaning there’s multiple opportunities for images to leak out.
It’s become very common for toys related to various Marvel films to reveal information about costume changes and new characters.
A leak from “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” revealed that a character had a lightsaber — and was therefore a Jedi — even before the film came out.
Before the release of Disney+’s (DIS) blockbuster “The Mandalorian,” producer and series creator Jon Favreau famously put his foot down and refused to allow any toys for the character Baby Yoda a.k.a. Grogu to be made, just so there wouldn’t be any spoilers.
Disney then had to scramble to get toys to market as bootleg merchandise began proliferating across the internet.
‘Stranger Things’ Is Coming To An End
The fourth season of “Stranger Things” will be split into two halves, with the second half arriving on July 1.
The Duffer Brothers have said this is the show’s penultimate season, though they are open to the idea of spin-offs.
Considering Netflix’s many, many issues with subscribers canceling and layoffs, the company is doubtlessly hoping it can find ways to keep its flagship series going.
At least until the Hawkins Gang are at least applying for college, if not signing up for AARP.
