Whether you are on the bandwagon or still wondering what all the fuss is about, there is no denying that Stranger Things has been one of the most popular and successful Netflix series ever.

Fans have been waiting almost 18 months for the next instalment, but the wait is almost over, with the show arriving in July 4.

But in the meantime, get your Stranger Things fix with everything we know so far…

The Trailer

A full trailer for season three was dropped on 20 March. It is set to the music of The Who’s Baba O’Reilly, which suggests that the kids of Stranger Things are in the process of growing up, but that doesn’t mean that the terrors of the Upside Down have gone anywhere.

The Duffer Brothers, the creators of the show, and producer Shawn Levy have been promising that this next instalment will be worth the wait, and are promising something bigger and better than season two. Of course, Game of Thrones producers said the same thing about season eight, so let’s hope they do a bit better! Whether they succeed with the story of not, Levy says that cinematically, it is their biggest season yet.

The Cast

We can rest assured that all of the show’s original cast are on board to return for season three, so we will be seeing Eleven (Milly Bobby Brown), Mike (Finn Wolfhard), Joyce (Winona Ryder), Will (Noah Sharp) Lucas (Caleb Mclaughlin), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Nancy (Natalia Dyer), Jonathan (Charlie Heaton) and Steve (Joe Keery) returning.

Season two additions Max (Sadie Sink) and Billy (Dacre Montgomery) will also be returning, but, unfortunately, we won’t be seeing more of Bob (Sean Astin). Also, Erica (Priah Ferguson), Lucas’ little sister, is set to play a bigger role in the upcoming season.

But they will be joined by quite a few exciting fresh faces. Maya Thurman-Hawke, who starred in the BBC adaptation of Little Women, will join the cast playing a new character called Robin, who will uncover a dark secret.

Storm Trooper star Jake Busey will also be joining the team as a character called Bruce, The Princess Bride’s Cary Elwes will appear as Major Kline, and Francesca Reale, from Haters Back Off, will play Heather, a lifeguard at the community pool (see episode three below).

Episode Titles

Episode titles for all eight episodes of season three have been released, and they give a little bit away about the season’s story ark.

Suzie, Do You Copy

The Mall Rates

The Case of the Missing Lifeguard

The Sauna Test

The Source

The Birthday

The Bite

The Battle of Starcourt

Predictions

Season two left quite a few open threads, and combined with the trailer and other sources we have quite a bit of information about where season three will go, or at least where it will start,

A new behind-the-scenes book, Worlds Turned Upside Down, confirms that season three will be set in 1985, less than a year after the events of season two, but not picking up exactly where it left off. The trailer for the season also suggests that the kids are starting to grow up, and grow apart, as Dustin is seen struggling when his friends no longer want to play Dungeons and Dragons in his basement.

While it seemed at the end of season two that the portal to the Upside Down was sealed off, and the Hawkins lab apparently closed for good, the series ended with a final shot of the devilish Smoke Monster that had been terrorizing the town landing on the school roof in the parallel Upside Dimension, suggesting that things are far from over. This Mind Flayer is not likely to forget Eleven and her powers, which it only encountered in the final episode of season two.

Speaking of Eleven, it seems unlikely that we have seen the last of Kali/Eight, as the superpowered illusionist escaped from the police in episode seven. It is unlikely that she has forgotten about her mission of vengeance against the men who wronged her and Eleven. Also, is this the season when we will meat One through Eight, plus Nine and Ten?

We also know from the season three teaser that there is a new mall in Hawkins, which will likely become a new hangout for kids, and certainly for Steve, who has got himself a job there at the ice-cream parlour, alongside newcomer Robin. If this mall doesn’t act like some kind of Hellmouth for the town, I think we will all be surprised.

Finally, we might get to see Will in a more ‘normal’ role. He has spent the first two seasons basically covered in alien goop and screaming in fields. The shows creators have pointed to this by admitting that they have put Will through the ringer, and maybe they will cut him a break this time around.

New Novel

If you can’t wait until July 4, you are in luck as the series will be preceded by a new novel called Darkness on the Edge of Town. The novel will address the back story of Chief Jim Hopper, when he was a New York City homicide detective in 1977. The book’s author, Adam Christopher, has said that it will feature stories that Hooper has told Eleven. The book will drop on June 4th, and may contain more hints about what will happen in season three of the show.

While we are all anticipating season three, don’t wish it here too soon, as there might not be that much more Stranger Things to follow. The Duffer Brothers have committed to four seasons from the outset, and have now said that while a season five is probable, going beyond that is very unlikely.