Release Date
Stranger Things season 3 will arrive on 4th July 2019.
Netflix announced the news with a tweet at the start of the year.
The streaming platform shared a release poster showing a worried looking Eleven hand in hand with Mike.
In the distance we can see Lucas, Dustin and Max enjoying a firework display while Will looks ominously towards what seems to be a monster.
The tag line reads: One Summer Can Change Everything.
JULY 4 pic.twitter.com/UX9M1L02rd
— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) January 1, 2019
Cast
All of our favourite characters will return for season 3 (apart from Barb of course) and some smaller characters will have bigger roles to play this time around.
Little sister of Lucas, Erica, as been upgraded to become a main cast member.
While, rumours are building about the return of Dr. Brenner and Eleven's sister 008 aka Kali.
In addition, we can expect some new faces in Hawkins this summer:
Maya Hawke
Character: Robin - a bored mall employee in for a surprise.
Known For: BBC's Little Women and as the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke.
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Cary Elwes
Character: Mayor of Hawkins - a classic 80s politician.
Known For: The Princess Bride & Saw
We're also getting a friendly, neighbourhood elder called Patricia Brown and a dodgy news reporter called Bruce.
Plot
A Stranger Things book came out late last year giving away a few season 3 secrets.
In Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down The Duffer brothers reveal the third installment has been inspired by 1982 movie The Thing.
The story is set in the summer this time around which will be a change from the school-heavy scenes of the first two seasons.
Ross Duffer has described the new episodes as both the 'most fun' and the 'grossest' yet.
There will be a time jump of one year between seasons 2 and 3 to 1985. We'll see the younger characters struggle as they grown from kids into teenagers.
As the poster suggests, Mike and Eleven's romantic relationship will develop.
Finally, it's good news for Will in season 3.
Speaking to Glamour producer Shawn Levy said, 'We're not going to put Will through hell for a third season in a row. He'll be dealing with stuff, but he won't be at rock bottom the way we forced the amazing Noah Schnapp to play.'
Trailer
In July 2018 the Stranger Things Twitter account shared a fun teaser trailer.
The clip shows an ad for a new shopping centre coming to Hawkins, Starcourt Mall.
Ahoy! Something is coming... to Hawkins, Indiana! pic.twitter.com/BI4wFRVzvB
— Stranger Things (@Stranger_Things) 16 July 2018
Fan favourite Joe Keery aka Steve Harrington makes a cameo appearance at the end.
Also seen is a new character called Robin who'll be played by Maya Hawke.
The new mall will have a big role to play in season 3.
Creator Ross Duffer said in the book Stranger Things: Worlds Turned Upside Down that, "aesthetically it's going to feel very different."
"Everyone is going to this new mall, seeing movies, and, of course, the Hawkins pool is open for business. I think there'll be a sense of fun and joy."
In December we got a second teaser trailer, this time revealing the episode titles.
- Suzie, Do You Copy?
- The Mall Rats
- The Case Of The Missing Lifeguard
- The Sauna Test
- The Source
- The Birthday
- The Bite
- The Battle of Starcourt
The full trailer arrived mid-March.
What else do I need to know?
Stranger Things creators The Duffer brothers have already confirmed season 4. Producer Sean Levy may have even confirmed a fifth season.
Speaking to Entertainment Weekly he said, "The truth is we're definitely going four seasons and there's very much the possibility of a fifth."
