‘Stranger Things’ returns on July 4 and the Duffer brothers are offering a little insight into what to expect this season…
‘Stranger Things’ will finally return this Thursday, July 4 with the third season of the popular series dropping on Netflix. It’s been over a year since ‘Stranger Things’ season 2 debuted so the anticipation is already at a fevered pitch with just days remaining until the series returns.
Like always, things seem to be back to normal in Hawkins, Indiana when the show picks up in the summer of 1985 but it’s clear there are still dark forces lurking just under the surface as the Upside Down world continues to creep closer and closer to our reality.
Ahead of the season debut, the Duffer brothers — Ross and Matt — offered some insight into what to expect for all the major characters appearing during ‘Stranger Things 3’.
“Summer is in full swing,” Ross Duffer said when previewing the season with EW. “With no school and no homework, our kids are having the time of their lives, swimming at the local pool and shopping at a fancy new mega mall called Starcourt. But beneath the surface, evil is lurking in Hawkins — and it’s coming for them all.”
MIKE AND ELEVEN
Eleven is no longer in hiding after getting a new identity at the end of last season — hello Jane Hopper — and she’s beginning to lead a more normal live alongside her boyfriend Mike. Unfortunately, the blissful couple soon realizes that they have a lot of obstacles ahead of them a concerned father in Jim Hopper, who is trying to adapt to having a daughter old enough to date, not to mention the forces from the Upside Down continuously trying to break through to the other side.
“Now that Eleven is no longer a secret, Mike and Eleven’s romance is in full swing — to the growing irritation of an overprotective Hopper,” Ross Duffer said.
“No longer trapped in the cabin, Eleven ventures out into the world and becomes good friends with Max. But their summer fun is short-lived when they make a horrifying discovery.”
DUSTIN, LUCAS AND WILL
Dustin will just be coming back from science camp when ‘Stranger Things’ season 3 returns, which has already been teased in the first trailer. There’s a rumor that Dustin may have a girlfriend when the show returns.
The same will be said for Lucas, who is still dating Max when season 3 begins, and he even serves as counsel to Mike when he runs into relationship problems with Eleven.
As for Will, he’s recovered from the possession courtesy of the Mind Flayer in season 2 and he wants nothing more than to spend a summer with his friends plotting out all new Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. Unfortunately, Will finds out that his friends are suddenly interested in something other than role playing games.
“Will is excited for a summer of D&D campaigns,” Matt Duffer said. “But his friends suddenly seem more interested in girls than games. Are they going to leave him behind?”
BILLY AND MAX
Max is fully integrated into the group now, not only dating Lucas but she becomes fast friends with Eleven as well. Meanwhile, her older brother Billy will get a much bigger role in season 3 as teased in the second trailer where it appears that the Mind Flayer may have designs on using him as the new conduit to our world.
“Billy (Dacre Montgomery) is now a popular lifeguard at the Hawkins Pool but he will soon find himself pulled into a never-ending nightmare,” Matt Duffer teased. “This season is a major one for Billy — he really takes center stage this year, and we can’t wait for people to see Dacre’s performance.”
HOPPER AND JOYCE
Joyce is once again haunted that something evil is about to burst through to our world and the only person she’s able to turn to is Hopper. He’s having his own issues as a single dad but he gets pulled away when he joins Joyce on this investigation into the newest paranormal threat in Hawkins.
JONATHAN, NANCY AND STEVE
Jonathan and Nancy entered into a relationship last season and ‘Stranger Things’ season 3 will find them still together as they embark on a newspaper internship together.
“Jonathan and Nancy have a summer internship at the local paper,” Matt Duffer said. “Working together strains their relationship — are they really meant to be together?”
As for Steve, he’s working at the ice cream shop in the new Starcourt Mall where he spends time with a new character named Robin, who is a band geek and definitely not the kind of girl he would usually befriend. Steve has also gotten closer to the rest of the kids including his best buddy Dustin after he returns from science camp.
‘Stranger Things’ returns for season 3 on Thursday, July 4 on Netflix.
