The much anticipated season four of Netflix’s Stranger Things begins filming this October. Since the season was first confirmed on Twitter on September 30, fans have waited anxiously for its release. Fortunately, recent updates on Twitter reveal that the twin directors and creators Matt and Ross Duffer are continuing the story, signing more deals with Netflix to extend the show’s runtime.

Stranger Things is a science fiction thriller created by the Duffer brothers and distributed by Netflix. As described by the LA Times, Stranger Things was “an instant hit” and “cultural phenomenon” when season one was first released on July 15, 2016. Season two premiered on October 27, 2017, and season three premiered on July 4, 2019. 

With about eight episodes per season, the series is relatively short. Still, over the course of three seasons, Stranger Things told the tale of four friends in Hawkins, Indiana. Season one comprised of Will Byer’s (Noah Schnapp) disappearance, the introduction to psychokinetic Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), and the discovery of the supernatural world “Upside Down”. By season two, Will was rescued from the Upside Down, but Hawkins was still threatened by the appearance of the “Mind Flayer.” The Mind Flayer returns in season three, along with the reveal of a Russian conspiracy. 

With such an ambitious storyline, season three ended with the powerful emotional finale that fans expected. However, it also left many loose ends for season four to resolve. Will Eleven regain her telekinetic ability? What will the story focus on, now that two key members moved out of Hawkins? Is Jim Hopper alive? 

The riveting plot, emotion, and cast of Stranger Things makes it “one of the most popular Netflix original series,” as announced by Entertainment Weekly. With the premiere of season three, Netflix announced on July 8 that over 40.7 million household accounts viewed it over the first four days of its debut, “more than any other of [its] film or series.”

Teenagers make up a significant part of this growing fan base, as the program is rated TV-14. Students of YLHS are not an exception to this trend, and many are waiting for further updates on season four. Angelina Pintang (9) shared that she found the series “really interesting,” and that she was “excited for season four.” Out of 40 million viewers, she is not the only one awaiting the season’s release; Angelina Pintang (9) also stated that “[she] know[s] a lot of people also waiting for season four to come out too.”

There is not yet an official release date for season four, but the LA Times predicts that it will premiere “within the next few months.” Until then, fans have been clinging to any possible plot leaks. Actors and actresses are known to reveal character situations in social media, and Netflix executives have hinted at storylines in recent interviews. However, the only official statement was issued on Twitter, the same day season four was first confirmed: “We’re not in Hawkins anymore.”

With this in mind, Netflix Content Officer Ted Sarandos says, “We can’t wait to see what the Duffer brothers have in store when they step outside the world of The Upside Down.”