Much like the Demogorgon, the trailer for season three of Stranger Things dropped seemingly out of nowhere on Wednesday, Mar. 20. While it had been expected to be rather vague – as most teasers are – it was actually pretty dense with details on what we should expect in the upcoming season. Spoiler: things get a little weird and gross.
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The near-three-minute-long trailer is full of so many pop-culture references from 1985 that it’ll make any 80’s baby nostalgic. From quick-cuts to a community pool and an old-fashioned ice-cream shop, to the remix of “Baba O’Reily” by The Who rising to a crescendo in the background, the season promises to bring about many throwbacks. Many viewers were particularly amused by the inclusion of a mall – a staple for 80’s kids. One fan, @DebEscher, on Twitter wrote, “The era of 80s mallrats has arrived in Hawkins, Indiana.”
The trailer’s opening fake-out scene is cute, but it gives you a bit of a sense of how much time has passed since the end of season 2. Set in the summer of 1985, the season picks up just as Dustin returns home from summer camp. While the kids still seem very close to each other – including the added member of Max from season 2 – they are also growing, changing, and getting into new situations. But don’t worry – they still have time to build a giant antenna meant to …pick something up?
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The tagline for this season, “One summer can change everything,” suggests that the kids of Hawkins, Indiana have even more ordeals to get into as they deal with supernatural forces and at least one bone-chillingly scary monster – not to mention the trials and troubles of puberty. As Mike (Finn Wolfhard) put it in the trailer, “We’re not kids anymore. I mean, what did you think? That we’re just going to sit in my basement all day playing games for the rest of our lives?” With the image of Will (Noah Schnapp) crying as he gazes at a picture of them from season two right under it, it’s enough the pull a few heartstrings.
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To really puncture the fact that the Stranger Things kids are growing up, they are now pairing off in ways that may challenge older friendship dynamics. While the ambivalence Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) once held towards Max (Sadie Sink) wanes, the two girls are becoming closer, including a few cuts to them singing and dancing in Max’s room and having a photoshoot at the mall. However, Max and Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) still seem to be a thing, as do Eleven and Mike. The group as a whole seems to be less occupied with the playful, adventurous “kid” things that Dustin is still interested in. And what of Will, the one that started all of this?
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Stranger Things has always leaned heavily on the idea that, even though Eleven is the only one with supernatural powers, it’s the group’s connection that gives them the strength to take on the monsters they face. It’s no surprise that the show is returning to the idea of that bond being put through the wringer.
But don’t worry, this season isn’t just about teenage drama. As usual, danger isn’t too far off in Hawkins. Cut to a shower scene where we see something menacing growing in Billy Hargrove’s arm, and the trailer takes a whole new turn. This just adds to the long list of reasons of why you should steer clear of this bully.
While it’s nice to see the kids going on mall adventures and experiencing life as new teenagers, it’s far more interesting to see Eleven on a beach with red lightning, or Nancy and Jonathan being chased down a hallway by an insect-like monster, or a random group in strange uniforms being electrocuted by some kind of thingamajig offscreen. It seems like there are yet more Hawkins scientists messing around with things that they don’t fully understand and that may plunge the small town into chaos yet again. With cuts to a menacing gunman, Eleven’s bloody nose, and several characters looking freaked out by something offscreen, this is bound to be an exciting season.
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Season three will be premiering on July 4 this summer. Intrigue for this season has been building since its announcement in 2017. After season one received five Emmy Awards and the trailer alone for season two got 19 million views on YouTube, expectations for the new season are high. The trailer itself reached over 20 million views in only three days. Can it live up to the hype? Well, stranger things have happened.
If you wish to watch the trailer, you can find it here.