Happy Stranger Things season 4 month, everyone! After nearly three years away, the wildly popular Netflix show returns to our screens in just a few weeks time. And, given the length of time that's passed since season 3 landed on the streamer, we're only too happy to wait a bit longer for the fourth season to drop.
Before the hit Netflix series makes its return, though, there's plenty of news and other bits of information to keep you occupied. Stranger Things season 4 is one of the most anticipated shows of 2022, so it's no surprise that its cast and crew have continuously been asked for updates on it.
So what do we know about Stranger Things 4 before it makes its Netflix bow? The latest news comes courtesy of a Sadie Sink interview, who divulged a bit more on what to expect from its plot. A Stranger Things companion book also offers an insight into the show's fourth season, too, while a bunch of new character posters have been released by Netflix as the streaming giant ramps up its marketing push for the TV series.
Below, you'll find even more information about Stranger Things season 4, including its two release dates, trailers, cast, potential plot, and more. And, while you're here, read up on the 11 things we want to see Stranger Things' fourth outing .
Be advised, though: we dive into full spoiler territory for Stranger Things seasons 1 to 3 . Additionally, we speculate on potential story beats for Stranger Things 4, so there are possible spoilers incoming for that , too.
Stranger Things season 4 release date: May 27 and July 1
Stranger Things 4 will return to Netflix in two parts. Stranger Things season 4 volume 1 will launch on Friday, May 27 , before volume 2 arrives on Friday, July 1 .
In a letter released alongside the launch dates announcement, The Duffer brothers – Matt and Ross – revealed why season 4 has been split in two:
Currently, there's no word on which volume will contain more episodes. Stranger Things 4 will be made up of nine episodes, but we aren't sure which part will have five entries and which will have four.
But the Duffer brothers have confirmed that every episode will exceed 60 minutes in length. Matt Duffer told Deadline : “I don’t think we have an episode clocking in under an hour – even in season 1 there were episodes that were like 35 minutes. You kind of forget that. This season, they’re very long, so I think it’s almost double the length of any season.”
Based on each episode's length, Stranger Things season 4 was the most expensive entry in the series yet. The show's fourth instalment cost $30 million per episode , which is more than The Mandalorian 's first season and Game of Thrones ' final season combined.
Regardless of how many episodes each part will have, season 4 volume 1 will be up against another streaming heavy hitter when it arrives on May 27. Obi-Wan Kenobi's TV series will launch on Disney Plus on the same day – well, its first two episodes anyway. Add in the theatrical release of Top Gun: Maverick, and Stranger Things season 4 will have fierce competition for viewers' attentions in late May.
Stranger Things season 4 trailer: check out the official trailer
Stranger Things season 4's official trailer was released on April 12. The three-minute long video, which you can view above, gives us our best look yet at the show's next instalment, and it certainly looks like it's been worth the near three-year wait.
We won't spoil anything for you before you watch it. But, if you want a break down of what you've just seen, check out our '6 things you may have missed' article concerning the trailer's biggest moments.
You can also check out each of season 4's, well, four teaser videos below:
Finally, if you need a recap on some of the show's major characters ahead of Stranger Things season 4, refresh your memory below:
Stranger Things season 4 episode titles: what do they mean?
Here are the titles for Stranger Things season 4's nine episodes:
Straight away, it seems like episode 3 could be a flashback to Eleven's first encounter with the Demogorgon. However, it's also possible that it could relate to a potential showdown between Eleven and Vecna (season 4's primary antagonist), or even Eleven's relationship with Doctor Martin Brenner.
The latter is the scientist who conducted experiments on Eleven and other children at Hawkins National Laboratory, so it's not out of the realms of possibility that he's considered to be a "monster" by her. Episode 8, too, may look at Eleven's father and daughter style relationship with Brenner. It could also include elements of what happened to Hopper's daughter, which we'll detail more in our plot speculation section below.
Meanwhile, episode 6 could be referencing Eleven's first 'dive', i when she sits in a body of water and enters another realm. Alternatively, it could be referring to Steve's underwater adventure in the Upside Down, which we catch a glimpse of at the 2:35 mark in the official trailer.
Episode 7 may reveal what happened to Doctor Brenner and Hawkins Lab's staff after the season 1 finale. Or, based on the young Eleven we see at the official trailer's 3:32 mark, it could be referencing her killing some of her fellow test subjects.
What do the other titles also tell us? Well, episode 1 is the name of a Hawkins High School Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) club, so we'll be seeing the Stranger Things kids attending high school in the show. Episode 4, meanwhile, should be Max-centric, given that her brother Billy sacrificed himself to save everyone in season 3.
D&D fans will also understand the significance of episode 2's title. Vecna is the name of a powerful wizard who becomes a lich during the World of Greyhawk campaign, and has been named as one of the greatest D&D villains of all-time. Based on the trailer (and this IGN trailer breakdown with the Duffer brothers), Vecna is the lead villain in Stranger Things season 4. It seems, then, that the gang's D&D adventures are going to become even more lifelike moving forward.
Episode 5 may be referencing Nina Kulagina, a real-life Russian woman who claimed to have psychic powers. Hmm, a person with superhuman abilities... where have we heard that before? We won't be surprised if this relates to Eleven (and number Eight, aka Kali from Stranger Things 2) and the experiments that were performed on them by Brenner in the 1980s.
As for episode 9: we don't know. It's the season finale so, even if we had some idea of what it meant, we wouldn't want to spoil it here. We'll find out more when season 4 arrives.
Stranger Things season 4 plot: what's it about?
Here's the official plot summary, courtesy of Netflix : "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."
That doesn't give too much away, which isn't surprising given the secrecy surrounding Stranger Things season 4's plot. But, as revealed in an article on Netflix's Tudum news website , we know how much time has passed between seasons 3 and 4.
"Season 4, volume I picks up six months later," the article reads. "With the main cast spread out across the world in four extremely different — yet equally mysterious — locations." So, based on season 3's July 1985 setting, the show's fourth season should take place in the winter of 1985 or around New Year's Day in 1986.
Curiously, the Duffer brothers have also revealed who the main protagonist – if there is such a thing – is in the fourth season. "So much of the season is about Max," Matt Duffer told IGN . "We open the season with her struggling with [her grief] and her trying to navigate that, and Max, on the other hand, is also someone who doesn't easily open up to people. So a lot of what she's dealing with, she's struggling with internally, she's shut a lot of people out, which makes it even that much more difficult."
It seems, then, that Max is the perfect, traumatized, physical vessel for season 4's major villain to try and possess. Speaking about Vecna in the same IGN article , Ross Duffer said that he and Matt have been waiting a long time to bring an iconic bad guy, in the mould of a Freddy Kreuger or Pennywise, to proceedings.
Who is Vecna exactly? Well, the Duffer brothers haven't been forthcoming with that information just yet – it's a big spoiler, after all. But the mystery surrounding the villain won't be the only one for viewers (and the Stranger Things gang) to solve. Creel House, that "super important location" that we mentioned earlier, and its grandfather clock will play a significant role in the show.
"We've wanted to do the haunted house thing for a while," Matt Duffer explained to IGN. "Every year we're trying to do something different. This was a more horror-leaning season. We had our kids, they’re obviously in high school, and it just felt very natural that they should be in a horror movie."
"It [the clock] is a really core part of the mystery that our Hawkins group is trying to solve," Ross added. "So I don’t want to give away too much other than to say this clock plays a very, very important role moving forward."
Elaborating on Creel House when sitting down with Collider , Ross Duffer said: "Hawkins, which is kind of the center for our horror story, has the Creel House which is a major new sort of haunted house location. What occurs in that house is pivotal to understanding what has been happening in Hawkins all of these years."
Elsewhere, the Duffer brothers have described season 4 as their "Game of Thrones season" (per a chat with Deadline ) due to its sprawling, multi-narrative format.
“They [Eleven and the Byers family] are in California – we’ve always wanted to have that like E.T-esque suburb aesthetic, which we finally got to do this year in the desert," Matt said. "Then we have Hopper in Russia; and then of course we have a group remaining in Hawkins. So we have these three storylines, are all connected and kind of interwoven together, but it’s just very different tones."
It sounds like we'll finally get some answers to the universe's mythos this season, too, with Ross Duffer telling Deadline: "Each season we’re just sort of peeling back the layers of that onion, so to speak. But this season, we really wanted to really get into it and [revealing] some of those answers. But to do that properly, we needed time, so it just became bigger and bigger."
Meanwhile, the show's cast have also teased the season's various story beats and themes in other interviews.
Speaking to The New York Times , David Harbour revealed Alien 3 and The Great Escape inspired Stranger Things season 4. We imagine that both are tied to Hopper's arc specifically, though, given that he's in a Russian prison that has its own demogorgon. Based on the trailer's showcasing of a snowy showdown between Hopper, his fellow inmates, and the monster, Alien feels like a fitting influence for this part of the show.
In a separate interview with Entertainment Weekly (EW), Harbour expanded on some of season 4's other plots: "You'll see a lot more layers about Eleven and Brenner, and the institution, and what she went through and is going through that relates to this narrative coming back. And then there's this new Creel House thing, which is this new element of a situation in Hawkins, which of course all relates."
Harbour also told Entertainment Tonight Online (ET Online) that a major moment in Hopper's backstory would be revealed, which goes right back to the "first frame of the first season". It might be worth preparing ourselves for something to do with his deceased daughter Sara, in that case, so make sure you have a tissue or two handy for when that episode rolls around.
But it won't just be Hopper's family history that'll be explored in Stranger Things season 4. In Collider's things we learned on set article , Ross Duffer also expanded on how Joyce and Murray will figure out that Hopper is alive and needs rescuing. "Joyce receives a mysterious package in the mail, and in it is a letter... it almost reads like a ransom letter, but it leads her to believe that Hopper is actually alive, imprisoned in Russia... and he has reached out to Joyce to help him secure money for a possible escape attempt."
Speaking to NME , when asked what Mike Wheeler would get up to in season 4, actor Finn Wolfhard simply replied: "I’ll just say he’s visiting someone…". Fans think they've worked out that this "someone" is Suzie, Dustin's long-distance girlfriend. Although, based on the trailer, he could simply be visiting Eleven in California.
Regardless of how it is, Eleven and Mike's relationship with be put to the test in season 4. "You get to see some real relationship issues that they both have to face this season," Millie Bobby Brown, who plays Eleven, told Collider . "Which I think is really funny and tender."
In a separate ET Online interview, Maya Hawke was asked about Robin's season 4 story arc. Hawke didn't give anything away, but she did hint that the Duffer brothers "really dig into her this season".
Sadie Sink, who plays Max Mayfield, has also hinted at what this season will entail for her character. Speaking to Elle magazine in November 2021, Sink said: "I'm really happy with where Max's storyline went for season four. I think you see a different side of her that I'm really excited to share with everyone."
In a separate chat with People magazine , Sink teased more about the episode where Max floats, simply saying: "I can't say anything about the floating. "That's a wild episode though."
Noah Schnapp, who portrays Will Byers, has suggested that his character will get something of a break from all the Upside Down business in Stranger Things season 4. He told Showbiz Cheat Sheet : "It [season 4] is definitely leaning into horror as it always does, but it also has some playful aspects too. I get to be part of the less scary storyline this season which was really fun. I’ve never laughed more and had as much fun as I did this season."
Additionally, there's residents' growing concerns that Hawkins is a town destined to be cursed for all eternity. After the season 3 finale, which saw the Starcourt Mall burn down after the gang stopped the Mind Flayer, it seems that many more Hawkins folk are beginning to think that not all is as it seems in their small US town.
Many of Hawkins' issues relate to the National Laboratory, which has always been ground zero for the Upside Down's emergence and its links to earth. It appears, then, that we'll be seeing even more horror-infused, spooky moments in Stranger Things season 4 – something that the Duffer brothers alluded to in a Netflix Tudum article .
"When we pitched it to Netflix all those years ago, we pitched it as the kids are...The Goonies in E.T.," Ross Duffer revealed. "That’s their storyline. And the adults are in Jaws and Close Encounters, and then the teens are in Nightmare on Elm Street or Halloween. But, this year, we don’t have the kids. We can’t do The Goonies anymore. And so, suddenly, we’re leaning much harder into that horror movie territory that we love. It was fun to make that change."
There are also plot threads from season 3, and even further back, that need resolving. Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) has seemingly lost her powers, while Max will be dealing with the fallout from brother Billy's death. There are lots of secrets relating to the Upside Down, Hawkins National Laboratory, Hopper, and more that need to be unearthed as part of the TV series' overarching narrative, too, which we're sure to finally learn about in seasons 4 and 5.
Incidentally, the Duffer brothers have spoken of their surprise that some online fan theories are "startlingly accurate", although the duo declined to reveal which ones may have been proven correct so far. "I’m constantly impressed with how sharp the fans are," Ross added. "And how quickly they’re able to put something together with very, very little information." If you've posted a fan theory on the web since Stranger Things first aired, you may want to relocate it and see if you were correct in your assumptions once season 4 arrives.
Finally, a new Stranger Things tie-in book – Hawkins Horrors – appears to hint at some of the storylines we'll see in season 4. We won't ruin them here but, if you want more details, check out this Reddit thread on the novel in question.
Stranger Things season 4 cast: who is playing who?
The how's core cast will reprise their roles for Stranger Things season 4:
Brett Gelman, who played conspiracy theorist Murray Bauman in seasons 2 and 3, has also been bumped up to a series regular, as have Priah Ferguson and Cara Buono as Erica Sinclair and Karen Wheeler. Matthew Modine and Joe Chrest will also reprise their roles as Matthew Brenner and Ted Wheeler in support cast capacities.
In November 2020, Variety revealed some of the new faces we'll be seeing:
Finally, four new cast members were confirmed during Netflix Geeked Week in June 2021:
Stranger Things season 4: is this the final season?
No, Stranger Things season 4 won't be the final entry in the series, but it won't be around for much longer. Why? Because the Duffer brothers have confirmed that the next season – i season 5 – will be the final one in the mainline Stranger Things storyline.
Adding to the Duffer brothers' comments, executive producer Shawn Levy told ScreenRant that the duo "didn't want the show to run out of fumes" and outstay its welcome.
"We wanted to only tell as much story as the brothers saw and feel with clarity," Levy explained. "It's been clear for a while that they know exactly where we're headed and this is the arc. We wouldn't want to stick around for one moment beyond that vision and the clarity of that voice. So rather than focusing on that sad day that happens who knows when, the end of season five, I'll just once again reaffirm what I've told everyone, which is it has been a long-ass wait for season four. But I swear to God, the world will realize it's worth it."
As sad as it'll be to say goodbye to Eleven, Hopper and company, it doesn't sound like Stranger Things will officially end when the curtain falls on the Hawkins crew for the final time. In their letter, the Duffer brothers teased the possibility of telling more stories in this universe, so we could see film and TV spin-offs in the future.
It would be a strange move if Netflix walked away from Stranger Things after season 5 – after all, it's one of the streamer's biggest shows. Given that Netflix wants to create (and build) its own in-house franchises, it would make sense for the company to continue telling tales in the Stranger Things universe.
And it seems that the Duffer brothers are up for that. Speaking to SFX Magazne (via Digital Spy ), Matt Duffer said: "We haven't told anyone our plans, not even Netflix! We have some ideas. In terms of if we were to do any sort of spinoff, or any continuation of Stranger Things, for us the bar was always 'Is the idea exciting enough that we feel the pull of wanting to do it again?'
"I want to feel the pull of 'God I really want to do this. I feel really, really excited about this.' So that's why we're being careful about what that is and whether we move forward with it or not."
Ross Duffer simply added: "I do think we have something pretty exciting, so we'll see...". Fingers crossed that we'll get more Stranger Things in the future.
For now, though, we're just glad that Stranger Things season 4 is on the way. It's been a long enough wait for its return, and we can't wait to see what the next season has in store.
Neuroscientist reveals her secret to better sleep — and it’s easy to use
For a long time, many of us assumed that what we did directly before bed made the sole difference to how well we slept. But research is now showing us that how we start our day, and what we do in our waking hours, also plays a role in our ability to sleep at night.
To unpick this further, we spoke to Anne-Sophie Fluri, neuroscientist and Head of Mindfulness at MindLabs , a new mental wellness app that helps people overcome poor sleep, stress, anxiety and low mood.
Through her previous work at Imperial College London, Fluri was involved in the first study of the effects of LSD and meditation on the brain, so she has plenty of insight into how meditation helps you sleep better. Here’s what she had to say…
A neuroscientist's secret to great sleep
There are lots of great sleep tips out there, but the best ones are usually the simplest. Just ask Fluri: “The secret to great sleep in my opinion lies in what we do in the first few hours of waking up. Our circadian cycle determines when we want to be asleep or awake, and this is mostly governed by sunlight.
“When we’re exposed to light shortly before or after waking up, an internal timer sets off to secrete melatonin (which lets us fall asleep) about 12 to 14 hours later. So it's important that this burst of light happens early in the day so that we can feel sleepy at a reasonable time in the evening.”
If getting outdoors in the morning is tricky for you, open your curtains and let natural light flood your home. You could also try a wake-up light for another burst of light upon waking up.
You can’t force sleep, but you can ease into it
If you have spent too many nights staring at the ceiling, wondering why your brain won’t switch off and let you sleep, you’re not alone. In fact, says Fluri, “A huge barrier to falling asleep is often the replaying of your day's encounters, conflicts, or conversations.
“By acknowledging the events of your day, observing them without judgement, and finally practicing some relaxation techniques, you can learn to free yourself from a ruminating mind and find peace and comfort.
Fluri’s top three tips for helping people ease into sleep are:
Bedtime routines help you fall asleep faster
This is the part where what you do directly before bed affects how easily you drift off. “A bedtime routine is so important,” emphasises Fluri, who reads novels but not non-fiction (“it gets my mind racing”) as part of her routine.
“The main components of my routine are going to bed at the same time and waking up at the same time every day. A consistent number of hours’ sleep is much more important than catching up on your zzz’s whenever you can.
“I also don’t keep any electronics in my bedroom, put my phone away at least an hour before I want to fall asleep, and keep the lights warm and dim, often only using red light or even candles,” reveals Fluri.
“If you stick to a schedule that suits you (for me it’s seven to eight hours sleep), you’ll fall asleep easier, wake up easier, and most likely enjoy less disruptions while you snooze.”
Meditation could be your best sleep aid yet
We love a good meditation app at TechRadar, and through her previous work at Imperial College London, Fluri is also well aware of the positive effects meditation has on the brain - and that extends to sleep.
“Meditation keeps racing thoughts at bay, teaches you how to be present and reduces the amount of thoughts or information we’re taking in,” explains Fluri. “It helps get your brainwaves into a slower-wave; one associated with relaxation.
If you wake up frequently in the night, meditation can also help you drift off again. “The combination of mastering your anxieties, teaching your body how to relax, and priming your body and mind for relaxation will help you fall asleep, and get back to sleep faster if you’ve woken up.”
Relax your mind and your muscles
When practiced regularly, breathing techniques and muscle relaxation exercises can help you fall asleep faster. They also act as a powerful antidote to stress.
Fluri has experienced this first-hand through her Releasing Muscle Tension class, which is similar to progressive muscle relaxation. “This technique uses the body to control the mind. It's a form of non-sleep deep rest, so you may or may not fall asleep, but it will teach you to actively calm yourself down.”
You can even use it in place of a nap, Fluri suggests. “One study in particular showed that this form of meditation allows dopamine to reset itself. Another determined an ability to enter a deep state of delta-wave sleep, while awake and maintaining awareness of one’s surroundings. So even if you’re not falling asleep, your body can reap the benefits of rest.”
If you want to try it for yourself, the above video is one of the most popular Progressive Muscle Relaxation for sleep exercises on YouTube with over 2.2 million views. We've used it a few times and it always works for us.
Don’t forget that how comfy you feel in bed can make a difference to how well you sleep, so make sure you have the best mattress for your body. If it is time for something new, the upcoming Presidents’ Day mattress sales are already rolling out some big savings on comfy beds.
Motorola foldable phone patent shows a reverse Razr with an outer screen
We haven't seen a new Moto folding phone since the 2020 Motorola Razr , and while we're hoping for a new Razr for 2022 , we don't know for sure it's coming. In the meantime though, a new patent from the company shows us a foldable that we really hope won't be the next Razr.
Motorola has been granted a patent for a new type of clamshell foldable, as spotted by MySmartPrice , which shows a large main display that's on the outside of the phone, not the inside, when it's folded.
The rest of the patent details the folding hinge, and it also shows a large bump that presumably houses the rear cameras.
It's a futuristic-looking device, even compared to other foldable phones we've seen on the market, but that's probably because it's a patent sketch.
Patents don't show that a phone is coming to market, only that a company is considering a certain design or feature, so let's wait to see if this device ever does see the light of day. Saying that, we hope it doesn't...
Analysis: a dangerous design
Foldable phones are fragile at the best of times - with their flexing display and moving components, they're usually one or two drops away from a dangerous smash.
That's doubly the case when the screen - the one thing you really don't want to get scratched or marked - is on the outside. The whole model is wrapped in its most fragile part.
We've seen this in phones before, with the Huawei Mate Xs , and that too was scary to use - you're always worried that simply slipping the thing into your pocket, or putting it down on a surface, could leave the screen with scratches and marks.
So we hope Motorola doesn't decide to go with the design shown in this patent, as we're happy with the way the Razrs have looked so far.