Stranger Things season 4 part 1: Here's the full scoop on the new episodes

At long last, Stranger Things season 4 is finally headed to Netflix soon! The highly-anticipated season will see the return of some of our favorite characters and introduce us to new ones, including the brand-new villain from the Upside Down, Vecna. With the kids growing up right before our eyes, we can expect the threats to become more and more dangerous. After all, this is supposed to be the scariest season of Stranger Things yet!

As we wait for the new episodes to hit Netflix this Friday, we’re breaking down all the biggest questions and spilling all the details you need to know about the Stranger Things season 4 release.

Spoilers ahead for Stranger Things seasons 1-3.

Stranger Things season 3 recap

Stranger Things season 3 is my favorite season of the show. It brought back that magic it had in the first season and added so much more! Season 3 came out on July 4, 2019, marking it almost three years since its premiere. That said, there’s probably a lot viewers don’t remember!

The third season is all about the Russians as they arrive in Hawkins and form a secret base at the Starcourt Mall. Just like the government, the Russians want to know more about the Upside Down and how to open the door. With Steve (Joe Keery) and his new friend Robin (Maya Hawke) working at the ice cream store at the mall, they soon discover what’s going on alongside Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo) and Lucas’ little sister Erica (Priah Ferguson). While they learn more about the Russians, Hopper (David Harbour), Joyce (Winona Ryder), and Murray (Brett Gelman) kidnap and work with a Russian scientist named Alexei (Alec Utgoff) to try and close the Upside Down again.

Meanwhile, the other kids discover that Billy (Dacre Montgomery) has been possessed by the Mind Flayer, and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) uses her powers to try to telekinetically communicate with him. The Mind Flayer possesses people in Hawkins to help build the Spider Monster, the huge, scary creature of season 3.

In the end, sadly, Billy loses his life and Hopper seemingly does, too. However, the mid-credits scene hint that Hop might’ve survived, and we now know that he does! Eleven loses her powers in the season 3 finale and has to move to California with the Byers family. It’s such a sad ending!

What is Stranger Things season 4 about?

Stranger Things season 4 picks up a few months after the events of season 3, just in time for Spring Break! Eleven, Will (Noah Schnapp), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), and Joyce are all living in California and it doesn’t look like they’ve fully adjusted yet. El is excited to reunite with Mike (Finn Wolfhard) and things might seem hopeful to start, but there’s a new threat headed to Hawkins and he looks like the scariest monster the group has encountered yet. Dungeons & Dragons villain Vecna is set to be the new monster this season.

Over at Hawkins, Mike, Dustin, Lucas, (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) are all in high school now. But we don’t think they’ll be getting any studying done during Spring Break. Deadline‘s synopsis for Stranger Things season 4 is as follows:

"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."

Stranger Things season 4 cast

Our favorites who survived Stranger Things season 3 will be returning for Stranger Things season 4. This includes but is not limited to:

Millie Bobby Brown as Eleven
Finn Wolfhard as Mike
Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin
Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas
Noah Schnapp as Will
Sadie Sink as Max
David Harbour as Jim Hopper
Winona Ryder as Joyce
Brett Gelman as Murray
Joe Keery as Steve
Maya Hawke as Robin
Natalia Dyer as Nancy
Charlie Heaton as Jonathan
Priah Ferguson as Erica

There are also exciting additions to the Stranger Things season 4 cast, too! Check out some of the newcomers below:

Robert Englund as Victor Creel
Joseph Quinn as Eddie Munson
Eduardo Franco as Argyle
Jamie Campbell Bower as Peter Ballard
Tom Wlaschiha as Dmitri
Nikola Djuricko as Yuri
Mason Dye as Jason Carver

Is Hopper in Stranger Things season 4?

We can all breathe a sigh of relief because Hopper will definitely be in Stranger Things season 4! As mentioned earlier, the fan-favorite character seemingly dies in the finale of season 3 after he sacrifices himself in order to shut the gate to the Upside Down. However, we never see a body!

Netflix released a teaser for the new season back in Feb. 2020 that revealed Hop survived and is now living in Russia! He’s most likely captured by the Russians after the explosion at the Starcourt Mall and is probably living as a prisoner or manual labor worker now.

Is Billy in Stranger Things season 4?

Now this one is a bit less certain. Billy is killed by the Spider Monster in the season 3 finale, also sacrificing himself to save Max, Eleven, and the rest of the group. That said, there is so much speculation from fans that Billy will return for season 4, with many even thinking he could be Vecna!

At this time, this rumor isn’t confirmed, but fans really want it to happen. To make things even more interesting, IMDb lists Dacre Montgomery as appearing in season 4. Nothing’s true or false unless Netflix confirms it, but there’s definitely a chance Billy will return.

When does Stranger Things season 4 part 1 come out? Release date and time

Stranger Things season 4 will be split into two parts, with volume 1 releasing this month on Friday, May 27 and volume 2 coming out on Friday, July 1. Like with most Netflix new release times, both volumes will arrive on the platform at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET on the release date. Is anyone planning to stay up late to binge volume 1? We’re not judging!

How many episodes is Stranger Things season 4?

The fourth season consists of nine episodes, split into two parts. Back in April, we found out that the episodes will be longer than previous ones, with the Duffer Brothers confirming at the time:

"“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,” said Matt Duffer. “This season, they’re very long, so I think it’s almost double the length of any season. So that’s one reason it’s taken so long. It does have this sort of epic quality to it. It’s a different feel, for sure.”"

Stranger Things season 4 episode release schedule

Netflix confirmed this month that season 4 part 1 will consist of seven episodes, with part 2 having only two. This split is surprising for fans, but we’re excited to see how they pull it off! Check out the release date schedule for each episode right below:

Episode 1 “The Hellfire Club” – releasing May 27
Episode 2 “Vecna’s Curse” – releasing May 27
Episode 3 “The Monster and the Superhero” – releasing May 27
Episode 4 “Dear Billy” – releasing May 27
Episode 5 “The Nina Project” – releasing May 27
Episode 6 “The Dive” – releasing May 27
Episode 7 “The Massacre at Hawkins Lab” – releasing May 27
Episode 8 “Papa” – releasing July 1
Episode 9 “The Piggyback” – releasing July 1

How long are the Stranger Things season 4 episodes?

Like mentioned, the episodes this season are longer than ever! Check out the runtimes below:

Episode 1: 1 hour and 16 minutes
Episode 2: 1 hour and 17 minutes
Episode 3: 1 hour and 3 minutes
Episode 4: 1 hour and 18 minutes
Episode 5: 1 hour and 14 minutes
Episode 6: 1 hour and 13 minutes
Episode 7: 1 hour and 38 minutes
Episode 8: 1 hour and 25 minutes
Episode 9: 2 and a half hours

You read that right — the finale of Stranger Things season 4 is 2.5 hours! Isn’t that wild?! Fans have had mixed reactions to that news.

Is Stranger Things season 4 the last season?

Although we want the show to go on forever, all good things must come to an end. Season 4 will not be the last season, but Stranger Things season 5 will be! When the Duffer Brothers made this announcement, they also teased the possibility of spin-offs, writing: “There are still many more exciting stories to tell within the world of Stranger Things; new mysteries, new adventures, new unexpected heroes.”

In a recent interview with Variety, the Duffer Brothers confirmed they do have an idea for a spin-off, noting that star Finn Wolfhard is the only one who knows about it! They teased:

"“We do have an idea for a spinoff that we’re super excited about … but we haven’t told anyone the idea yet, much less written it. We think everyone, including Netflix, will be surprised when they hear the concept, because it’s very, very different. But somehow Finn Wolfhard, who is one crazy smart kid, correctly guessed what it was going to be about. But aside from Finn, no one else knows!”"

We wouldn’t be surprised if there’s an Eleven spin-off or a sequel or prequel series covering another character to come after Stranger Things ends.

Where was Stranger Things season 4 part 1 filmed?

As fans of the Netflix Original know, Stranger Things primarily is filmed in Atlanta, Georgia, and that’s the same case for season 4. The filming locations in Atlanta serve as Hawkins, Indiana. Additionally, as we previously reported, Stranger Things season 4 was filmed in New Mexico and Vilnius, Lithuania, as well. We can probably guess what those locations are supposed to be, as the Byers will be in California in season 4 and Hopper will be in Russia.

What year does Stranger Things season 4 part 1 take place in?

Stranger Things season 4 takes place almost a year after the start of season 3; the spring of 1986 to be exact. We don’t know how much time will pass in season 4, but we definitely know volume 1 will take place in 1986.

Stranger Things season 4 trailer

The trailer for the new season came out in April and I’m still not over it! It promises so much action, horror, and awesome cinematography. Check it out below.

Where to watch Stranger Things season 4 part 1

As Stranger Things is a Netflix Original, that means the only way to watch season 4 part 1 is with a Netflix account. It will not stream on any other services or channels, unfortunately. Need a Netflix account? Sign up on their website here!

The countdown for Stranger Things season 4 part 1 is officially on! Check back with us at Netflix Life for all of our coverage when the new episodes drop on on May 27.

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Stranger Things season 4 part 1: Here’s the full scoop on the new episodes

By Natalie Zamora | May 25, 2022