Netflix’s eagerly anticipated new season of Stranger Things is finally getting close to its release, as season four’s filming is expected to wrap in August.
In May, an official teaser was uploaded to YouTube, alluding to the sci-fi drama’s return.
In the short clip, the emblematic lab where villain Dr Brenner carried out his experiments on children, including Eleven, was shown.
The teaser also reveals a ticking clock while children dressed in hospital gowns play with cards on a rainbow car track.
There are various shots of visibly key objects, including a chessboard, a ball and even a Magic Eight Ball reading "signs point to yes" as a kid is heard disturbingly laughing.
The camera goes on to focus on a door marked 11, before someone is heard saying: “Eleven? Are you listening?” as Eleven’s eyes flash open.
Here's everything we know about Stranger Things season four so far:
Season four plot
Season three emotionally ended with Joyce, played by Winona Ryder, taking her two sons and Eleven away from the fictional midwestern town of Hawkins.
The family are last seen with their removal van, leaving their home behind following the supposed death of Hopper, played by David Harbour.
But in the very last scene of the series, fans got a hint that Hopper was still alive - and it has since been confirmed that his character will appear in season four.
The third season also concluded with Eleven losing her powers.
American directors, The Duffer Brothers, released an official insight indicating what could be expected from Stranger Things season four: "We're excited to officially announce that production for Stranger Things 4 is now underway—and even more excited to announce the return of Hopper!
"Although it's not all good news for our 'American', Hopper is imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, Russia, where he will face dangers both human… and other.
"Meanwhile, back in the States, a new horror is beginning to surface, something long-buried, something that connects everything..."
In addition to Hopper’s new interesting storyline, the fourth season is set to be the scariest so far.
Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington, told Total Film: "I think that this year, and I know I say this every single year, but this is definitely going to be a lot scarier than prior years because last year was pretty dark."
Lucas' fan favourite sister Erica is also set to get a bigger role in season four.
Confirmed cast
Stranger Things' main cast will be back for the new season.
Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas) Noah Schnapp (Will), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), Sadie Sink (Max), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan), Natalia Dyer (Nancy), Joe Keery (Steve) and Maya Hawke (Robin) will all be back, alongside Winona Ryder (Joyce) and David Harbour (Hopper).
The Sopranos actress Cara Buono will continue to appear as Karen Wheeler - the "loving but naive" mother of Nancy, Mike, and Holly.
Brett Gelman will make a comeback as Murray Bauman, the former investigative journalist who was hired by Barb's parents to investigate their daughter's disappearance.
Netflix has also announced a number of new actors will join the main cast for the fourth season.
These include Eduardo Franco as Argyle, who is described as "Jonathan’s new best friend, a fun-loving stoner who proudly delivers delicious pizza pies for Surfer Boy Pizza".
Jamie Campbell Bower will play Peter Ballard, described as a "caring man who works as an orderly at a psychiatric hospital."
And British actor Joseph Quinn will also join the main cast.
He will play the role of Eddie Munson, described as an "audacious 1980s metalhead who runs The Hellfire Club"
Original recurring stars will return for the fourth series, including Joe Chrest as Ted Wheeler, Mike and Nancy's "laid-back dad" and Matthew Modine as Martin Brenner, the senior research scientist involved in the controversial Project MKUltra.
Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D actor will also reappear as Warden Hatch.
A number of recurring characters will also be introduced.
Vickie, played by Amybeth Mcnulty, is a cool and fast-talking band nerd who reportedly "catches the eye of one of our beloved heroes" while Tom Wlaschiha plays a Russian prison guard who befriends Hopper.
Westworld actor Sherman Augustus will play the role of Lt. Colonel Sullivan, an intelligent, no-nonsense man who believes he knows how to stop the evil in Hawkins.
Nikola Djuricko, best known for his role in Genius, will join season four as Yuki, as a seedy and unpredictable Russian smuggler who "loves bad jokes, cold hard cash, and crunchy style peanut butter".
Jason Carver is a new character who will also be introduced in the fourth season of Stranger Things.
Played by actor Mason Dye, Jason has been described as a "rich athlete dating the most popular girl in school".
Additionally, the streaming platform announced in November that iconic Freddy Krueger actor Robert Englund will star in Stranger Things as Victor Creel.
Victor has been described as a "disturbed and intimidating man who is imprisoned in a psychiatric hospital for a gruesome murder in the 1950s" - a very fitting role for a man who played one of the most famous serial killers in the history of horror movies.
Myles Truitt will play Patrick, a "basketball player at Hawkins High who seems to have everything going for him".
In addition, actress Regina Ting Chen will join the Stranger Things cast as Ms Kelly, "a popular guidance counsellor who cares deeply for her students".
Chrissy is a new recurring character who will be played by Grace Van Dien.
Grace will play the role of the head cheerleader and most popular girl at Hawkins High with a "dark secret".
Episode titles
Back in February 2020 TVLine reported that season four will consist of nine episodes, and it was later revealed that an additional episode that was not initially planned was to be released.
But only one title has officially been revealed.
Stranger Things’ fourth season will kick off with a first episode titled "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club."
A teaser synopsis for the episode was revealed on IMDb and reads: "We’re not in Hawkins anymore…"
Release date
In March 2020, actor David Harbour told his followers on Instagram during a Q&A session that season four was originally "supposed to come out" in early 2021.
David went on to admit that the release date would be "pushed back" as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Following the actor’s revelation on social media, Netflix has not made any official announcement regarding Stranger Things’ release date.
Some cast members gave an idea of when the fourth season could be expected to premiere, as actor Noah Schnapp told Fanmio that filming "is set to wrap in summer 2021".
Noah’s statement was confirmed by David Harbour, who revealed on a June episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, that shooting was "almost done".
Every piece of information gathered points at a potential release of the new season to be expected in 2022.
Final Season?
The Duffer Brothers have reportedly said that they would "probably have four or five seasons of the show before calling it a day".
It was later confirmed that season four will not be Stranger Things’ final season.
Nevertheless the talented writers did reveal that they already knew how the award-winning show would end.
Matt Duffer told Deadline: "We’ve known the ending of the show for quite a while."
In an interview with CNN, Ross Duffer said that the pandemic had given the two brothers "time to look ahead" as well as figuring out "what is best for the show."