Get your frozen waffles and dial that synth up to 100, because Stranger Things season 2 is almost here! It comes out on October 27th, just four spooky days before Halloween. There’s a lot to be excited about, especially with all of last season’s cliffhangers. Here’s what we know about Stranger Things season 2.
New Characters
Joining the main cast is Sadie Sink as Max, the new kid in town. She’s tough, suspicious of others, and rides a skateboard everywhere. The first episode is titled “Madmax,” so we can assume that Max will be introduced early on. We don’t know much else about her, but according to an interview with Extra, she will be involved in a love triangle. Finn Wolfhard quickly confirmed his character, Mike, will have no part in that. Mike only has eyes for Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).
Dacre Montgomery will be playing Max’s “girlfriend stealing bad boy” step brother, Billy. Little is known about Billy, except that he’s the human villain of season 2. An unpredictable and unstable human villain can be just as scary as a Demogorgon. Dacre was advised to use Jack Nicholson’s acting in The Shining as inspiration for Billy.
Stranger Things will also be welcoming Sean Astin (The Goonies, Lord of the Rings), as Bob Newby, a love interest for Joyce (Winona Ryder). He’s one of Joyce’s former classmates, who now manages the local RadioShack.
Linnea Berthelsen will be playing Roman, an outsider that grew up homeless. Her mother was a drug addict, and she has a connection to the experiments at Hawkins Lab.
It isn’t clear whether Dr. Martin Brenner (Matthew Modine) will be returning this season, but there will be at least one shady government man on the scene. Paul Reiser will be joining the cast as Dr. Owens. Owens is a member of the Department of Energy. His character is put in charge of containing the events of the last year, and taking over at Hawkins Lab.
Also returning for the new season are Gaten Matarazzo as Dustin, Caleb McLaughlin as Lucas, Noah Shnapp as Will, and David Harbour as Chief Hopper.
A New Story
The cast has kept important details under wraps. The intention, however, is for it to feel like a movie sequel. Time will have passed since the first season, since the young actors have grown so much over the year. We’ll get to see how the characters were affected by season 1, especially Will Byers, who spent the first season stuck in the Upside Down. Chief Hopper will be trying to cover up the events of the past year, while Mike copes with the loss of Eleven.
Season 2 will also tie up loose ends from season 1, which means that #JusticeForBarb will not only be acknowledged, but it will be a big part of the season! Nancy will be seeking justice for her friend and so will Barb’s parents, who aren’t happy with how Hopper has been dealing with their daughter’s disappearance.
With season 2 just days away, this is the perfect time to get into the Stranger Things spirit. Get together with some friends and binge watch season 1, or plan a themed event, like the one UVic is having on October 27th. Even better, do a group costume with your friends for Halloween (just remember to call dibs on Eleven, or you might end up being the Demogorgon). Let us know in the comments how you’re preparing for season 2!