Like many shows this year, the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic halted the production of Stranger Things 4, but executive producer Shawn Levy noted this gave the Duffer Brothers a window to complete the script ahead of shooting for the first time in the show’s history.
“I’ll just say the pandemic definitely massively delayed shooting and therefore the launch of our current Season 4, date still TBD, Levy told Collider. “But it impacted very positively by allowing the Duffer brothers, for the first time ever, to write the entire season before we shoot it and to have time to rewrite in a way that they rarely had before so the quality of these screenplays are exceptional, maybe better than ever.”
Stranger Things 4 began filming again in early October, but the Duffer brothers have stayed busy during their time away from the set. Earlier, they announced that they completed all nine scripts and posted a photo of them for proof, potentially confirming a nine-episode season. To further indicate their productivity, they announced they planned out the ending of the entire series.
Netflix’s Twitter account made the announcement that Stranger Things 4 had returned to production with an ominously blue photo of a grandfather clock and an open clapperboard in front of it. Theories have already been shared as to its significance, questioning who the grandfather clock belongs to and if it’s a portal to the Upside Down.
When Stranger Things 3 ended, the dreaded Mind Flayer had been defeated by Mike, Dustin, Lucas, El, Will and a party of others, but their victory was at the cost of Sheriff Jim Hopper who had been trapped behind a gate to the Upside Down. Actor David Harbour confirmed that — in a Gandalf-like twist — he would be returning for Season 4 after being held prisoner in Russia.
Created by the Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things stars Winona Ryder, Millie Bobbie Brown, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Noah Schnapp, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Joe Keery, Priah Ferguson, Cary Elwes, Jake Busey and Maya Thurman-Hawke. The first three seasons are currently available on Netflix, and Season 4 has yet to receive a release date.