'Stranger Things' Featurette Builds Hype For Season 4 By Spotlighting The "Evolution" Of Season 3

The wait for Stranger Things 4 is going to be even longer than expected, so Netflix is keeping us occupied by releasing a new Stranger Things featurette that spotlights the evolving ensemble of the third season. It's been nearly a year since Stranger Things 3 hit the streamer, but this featurette serves as a nice reminder of what made that season such a well-received hit.

It's hard to believe it's been nearly a year since Stranger Things 3 debuted on Netflix. But the summer-themed season, released right on the 4th of July, is almost a year old. But Netflix doesn't want the season to fade from the minds of its audience (or from the minds of Emmy voters), releasing a new Stranger Things featurette spotlighting the "evolution" of season 3 and its growing ensemble, including newcomers Maya Hawke as Robin, Dacre Montgomery as Billy Hargrove, and the promotion of Priah Ferguson as Erica Sinclai from recurring fan-favorite to regular.

"[Season 3] is certainly the biggest season that we've ever had and the most challenging, just the overall scope of the show. And that affects all of the characters in our story," Ross Duffer said in the featurette.

"It tries to grow with its audience," series newcomer Maya Hawke added.

Stranger Things will likely grow even more with its fourth season, which is still a ways away due to coronavirus delays. However, the scripts for season 4 have been officially completed, and the Duffer brothers have been teasing a "different tone."

"Every time we go to a new season, we want it to have a different feel and a different tone," Ross Duffer recently told Deadline. While season 1 was a Stephen King vs. Steven Spielberg-style horror series, season 2 brought in a conspiratorial sci-fi element, while season 3 paid homage to '80s summer blockbusters. It's uncertain where season 4 will go, but it will have one of the reliable elements of the past three seasons: "cool" guest stars.

"We have some cool [guest stars]. A couple of cool ones this year," Matt Duffer said. "It's a really fun way to get to meet one of your icons, you know? Write a part for them and see if they want to do it... these are actors we grew up watching so it's amazing and surreal."

It's been reported that Stranger Things 4 will add at least four new characters, but it's still a mystery who the season's guest stars will be, though the Duffers did hint that they will be "icons" like past '80s guest actors Sean Astin, Cary Elwes, and Paul Reiser.

No premiere date has yet been set for Stranger Things 4.