We’re not in Hawkins anymore. That has been the big news leading up to the next season of the popular Netflix series Stranger Things fourth season. Released in the summer of July 2016, the show has been an instant success. The Duffer brothers produced two more seasons with the last season being pushed out in July of 2019. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the filming industry has been hit hard. Stranger Things is the perfect example of it. They continue to get pushed back and now the release date for season four is in the summer of 2022. Three whole years since the last season. So what could we expect with the new season? 

As we know the setting of Stranger Things 4 will be set in the springtime of 1986. The Byers and Eleven have moved to sunny California to get away from their terrible and scary past in Hawkins, Indiana. The rest of the gang is still located in Hawkins with the only exception being Jim Hopper; Hopper who is one of the fan favorites was “captured” at the end of season 3 and will start his journey of season 4 in the cold environment of Kamchatka, Russia. 

The plot as I know it so far is pretty exciting to me at least. As shown in the teasers, Mike Wheeler will head out to California on spring break to visit the Byers and Eleven. During this time government officials will be looking for eleven and it truly looks like something we have never seen before. We haven’t heard much of what will happen in Hawkins, but as we know of right now the dynamic duo of Steve Harrington and Dustin Henderson will still be stealing the show. The teasers showed a group of Steve, Dustin, Nancy, Max, Robin, and Lucas all working together trying to solve something. Season four looks like one of the darkest seasons yet in the show’s history. 

My predictions are everywhere for this next season. I feel like someone from the original season will die but who is the question I have been asking myself. All the rumors are pointing to Steve Harrington. From once jockey high school basketball player to now one of the fans favorites his character development has been amazing to watch. Steve is personally my favorite character and seeing him die in the show would be depressing for the viewers. For the show to keep people on the edge of their seats, someone needs to die that we have an emotional connection with. They won’t kill off the four boys or eleven. So the odd person out is Steve. 

Stranger Things 4 has been one of the most anticipated releases in a long time. The pop culture phenomenon should have record sitting stats on release date like Stranger Things 3 had. Time will tell if Stranger Things 4 will live up to the hype.