Netflix revealed February 17 that Season 4 of “Stranger Things” will be split into two parts, with Volume 1 premiering May 27 and Volume 2 premiering July 1. “With nine scripts, over 800 pages, almost two years of filming, thousands of visual effects 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,” creators Matt and Ross Duffer wrote in a letter shared by Netflix. “Everyone involved is incredibly proud of the results, and we can’t wait to share it with you.” The Duffer Brothers continued, “Given the unprecedented length, and to get it to you as soon as possible, Season 4 will be released in two volumes. Volume 1 will release on May 27; Volume 2 will release five weeks later on July 1. So that’s the good news. It’s coming soon. And it’s better than ever. It’s also the beginning of the end.”
The series is set to conclude after five seasons. “Seven years ago, we planned out the complete story arc for ‘Stranger Things,’” the showrunners continued. “At the time, we predicted the story would last four to five seasons. It proved too large to tell in four, but — as you’ll soon see for yourselves — we are now hurtling toward our finale. Season 4 will be the penultimate season; Season 5 will be the last.” While the Duffer Brothers noted there are “still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of ‘Stranger Things,’” hinting at spinoffs with “new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes,” the story of Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) is coming to an end. “First we hope that you stay with us as we finish this tale of a powerful girl named Eleven and her brave friends, of a broken police chief and a ferocious mom, of a small town called Hawkins and an alternate dimension known only as the Upside Down. As always, we are grateful for your patience and support,” the Duffer Brothers concluded. The official description for Season 4 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.” The announcement comes almost three years after Season 3 debuted on Netflix July 4, 2019. First footage from the new season debuted back in August and included a long-haired Eleven, Hopper (David Harbour) with a flamethrower, and a classic shot of a group of kids racing down a dark street on bicycles, as IndieWire previously reported. Eleven and Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) are still adjusting to living in California, where they moved at the end of the third season after the alleged death of Chief Hopper.
“I mean, it’s bigger, that’s the first thing,” Harbour said of “Stranger Things 4” in a Collider interview last year. “In scope, in scale, even in the idea that we’re not in Hawkins anymore. We, locale-wise, we’re bigger. We’re introducing new stuff, but we’re also tightening and wrapping up in a certain direction to make it have a clear, clean, specific, and definite ending at some point, which I can’t really talk about.” “Stranger Things” has been nominated for 31 Emmy Awards since premiering. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
