Stranger Things season 4 will be the darkest — and also the funniest

It’s been almost three years since the last season of Strange things ends with some shattering consequences, leaving the characters to pick up the fallen pieces. Hopper (David Harbour) is presumed dead by most of the characters – although various teasers and post-credits scenes have revealed that he is still alive, albeit in a Russian prison. Max’s brother Billy (Sadie Sink) is dead, for the truth. Joyce (Winona Ryder) decides to move her family, along with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), out of Hawkins, which means the group of best friends will be separated for the first time. With everyone scattered and grappling with these major changes, the show has a lot of work to do when the next season, after several delays, finally hits Netflix in May – at least. especially part one.

Polygon almost visited Strange things set in June of last year, when filming began, and had the opportunity to sit down with the cast and crew to talk about some of these major developments. And even though season 4 will be split into two parts this summer (the second arrives in July), it still seems to have enough promise to fill a season that promises to be dark and hilarious at best.

Photo: Netflix

First, the setting isn’t just limited to Hawkins, Indiana. The Byers and Eleven is currently in Southern California – a smooth and sunny departure from the moody Hawkins, allowing the production and staging team to expand their references to ensure that the physical distancing is truly is felt. The town of Lenora that dates back to 1986 is more stylish than Hawkins, which lags behind in time. It’s more beachy tones and a richer palette, along with surf culture. And with the Byers now in Lenora, that means Eleven and Mike (Finn Wolfhard), as well as Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Nancy (Natalia Dyer) are now trying to get into a long-distance relationship.

At sea, of course, Hopper is being held in a mysterious Soviet prison – where Joyce and conspiracy theorist Murray (Brett Gelman) will eventually go on a rescue mission.

Image: Netflix

Gelman said during a visit to the virtual set, describing the character’s upcoming installment as being very much like Indiana Jones. “The way it consistently balances the tension of adventure with humour.” He especially enjoyed working extensively with Winona Ryder this season. “I really love my relationship with Joyce this season. We almost became a comedy duo. “

The gang returning to Hawkins doesn’t stray too far from the show’s horror roots, as they investigate the mysteries of a haunted house. Called the Creel house, the dilapidated abode is somehow connected to the Upside Down, and Nancy in particular, is intrigued to explore that connection. Of course, she won’t be alone. In addition to the rest of the Hawkins cast, legendary horror actor Robert Englund – who brought murder icon Freddy Kreuger to life in the Nightmare On Elm Street series – will portray the enigmatic Victor Creel, who has lived in the house many years ago and was incarcerated for a gruesome murder in the 1950s.

Image: Netflix

With anchoring the season’s arc, season 4 is considered the scariest yet, fully satisfying horror games and not shying away from Englund’s nightmarish origins. But as Wolfhard told Polygon, it was But also funniest season. Every subsequent season of Strange things allowed the program to raise emotions across the board.

“I think it’s inherently darker each season,” says Wolfhard. “It became more humorous, it became more terrifying, it became more dramatic. And I think that just happens to all of us as we get older and older. Not all of us are going to be like wigs, and we, 40, love to scream about things like, demons and stuff.

“I think this is like a good example of the Duffers really treating our characters like their age. And I like to compare it to Harry Potter – like Harry Potter as those movies go on, they get darker and darker. And that is where we are now. It’s a perfect progression in my opinion. ”

Image: Netflix

“I was reading the script and I saw Finn and some of the other characters having such a good time,” Brown said. “And you can see Eleven in the darkest state she’s ever been in. This is definitely the hardest season I’ve ever filmed. And there have been some of the scariest, scariest things I’ve ever seen as a human.”

To balance fear and heavy focus on Eleven’s dark past, Strange things brings in two new characters to bring humor. Played by Joseph Quinn and Eduardo Franco, they embody different quintessence of ’80s cultures. Quinn plays Eddie, a metalsmith and leader of the Hellfire Club – aka. is the official Hawkins High School Dungeons and Dragons Club – who befriends Mike and Dustin, and finds himself drawn into the Creel house mystery along with the rest of the Hawkins crew. If you are wondering whether that D&D references really work, keep an eye on Quinn’s character. Prot master Niko Zahlten revealed Eddie got the whole character for Vecna, while prosthetic designer Barrie Gower talked at length about creating the character’s look, based on the fact that he had trapped in the Upside Down for about 20 years.

With it all over in California, Franco joins the cast as Argyle, a pizza delivery stonemason with beloved Winnebago who eventually becomes Jonathan’s friend. Jumping into the show’s established dynamics and storylines is a scary thing for Franco, but he says it’s really satisfying to bring some of the classic appeal into the shadows.

Image: Netflix

“But once you start, everyone is so sweet, so cool,” he said. “At least for me, to be able to play like a funny guy, especially knowing the history of the show, like what they go through and stuff. All very crazy and busy. But then I’m stupid here. I guess it’s like a breath of fresh air. I hope that’s what it is supposed to be. I hope that’s how people look at it, Oh thats cool. ”

Strange things always balances the horrors of supernatural adventures with more emotional, sympathetic moments between the cast. This season will be no exception. The more human scenes where the characters interact without the demogorgons and the monsters chasing them the more the show goes up and makes the stakes even higher. And they’re also some of the most challenging and satisfying pieces for actors to dig into.

Image: Netflix

Wolfhard said: “Last season, I thought back to when we were in the grocery store. “I want to explain what love is. For me, that’s the most fun thing to do for the show. ”

Brown added: “We grew up together. “We have been doing this for almost seven years. And it’s almost like a relationship that we always go back to after as long as we’re filming. And we were like, OK, this is the position of the characters now. We can develop and execute the scenes together. And we used to improvise a lot, with those kinds of tools. So it’s nice to do it with the same person over a long period of time. “

“It’s much more comfortable,” Wolfhard laughed. “It would be bad if it was like a bar of soap and we kept changing girlfriends and boyfriends.”

The first part of Strange things Season 4 will premiere on Netflix on May 27.