“People are saying that Hawkins is cursed.” You don’t say?
Netflix has released the full trailer for Stranger Things season four, and once again, there’s trouble with a capital “T” in Hawkins. This trailer has been a long time coming, after countless short, ambiguous teasers (that began even before the pandemic), but now we’re finally getting more details. While Max (Sadie Sink) mourns the death of her abusive older brother Billy (Dacre Montgomery), she appears to be gaining powers of her own—while Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) loses hers. As Eleven tells her loved ones her mysterious powers are disappearing, Max rises a full two feet off the ground above her brother’s grave.
That power will probably be helpful at the Rink-O-Mania, a new hang for the squad in season 4 (so long, Starcourt Mall). Amid new monsters, evil villains, and an impending war, the disco ball still spins over the roller rink, giving Stranger Things that classic ’80s vibe. And somehow, these kids are still in high school, so the trailer teases more Degrassi-esque teen drama to come.
By far the creepiest part of the trailer is the recurring haunted house, previously introduced as the “Creel House,” that keeps rearing its head. There’s some ticking clock (so horrifying), a bat/lighting storm (bone-chilling), and a guitar solo on the roof (epic). Whatever’s going on at the Creel House, give us at least four episodes of it.
To cap it all off, that post-credits scene in season three wasn’t a red herring: Hopper (David Harbour) is alive and back in full swing. Joining him for season four are returning stars Millie Bobby Brown, Finn Wolfhard, Sadie Sink, Winona Ryder, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Noah Schnapp, and Maya Hawke. The gang’s all here!
Stranger Things, one of Netflix’s most popular franchises, debuted on the platform in summer 2016. Those kids certainly aren’t kids anymore, and it’s showing–these youngsters will have to use extra de-aging cream, or perhaps ask Martin Scorsese to share some of the special effects he used on Robert DeNiro in The Irishman, to crank out the show’s already-ordered fifth and final season.
Stranger Things season four will debut in two parts; the first will hit Netflix on May 27, but you’ll have to wait until July 1 for the back half.
