Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) talks shooting Stranger Things during a pandemic

Production on Stranger Things season 4 plods on, although this is obviously a difficult year to make TV. We can still expect a bunch of new faces, though.

As I’m sure you’re aware, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has caused delays in film and television production all over the globe, including on the fourth season of Netflix’s hit sci-fi series Stranger Things. This is particularly unfortunate because season 3 ended on a major cliffhanger and fans are itching to see what happens next.

If you need a reminder, season 3 ended with Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) defeating the Mind Flayer with a little help from Billy (Dacre Montgomery), but she lost her telekinetic powers in the process. Joyce (Winona Ryder) was able to close the gate to the Upside Down, but Hopper (David Harbour) seemingly died in the resulting explosion. After the dust settled, Joyce decided to give her family a fresh start. The Byers family, along with Eleven, said an emotional goodbye to their friends in Hawkins before leaving to embark on a new life. As of right now, we don’t know where Joyce and the kids are headed, but we do know that Hopper is alive and well in a Russian prison.

With the coronavirus wreaking havoc on the world, it makes sense that a normally bustling film set has had to change things. Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin) told Us Weekly about how the pandemic has affected the set of Stranger Things. “It’s definitely an unorthodox form of shooting,” he said. “Everyone on set has been very diligent about wearing their PPE [personal protective equipment]. Even for our off-camera work we keep our masks and goggles on. Lots of distancing. Separation during lunch, and transport from base to set.”

"Because of how long we are all apart it got hard to keep in touch super diligently. But the kids would always check in on each other to see how we were doing. We have to look out for each other."

But production goes on, slowly but surely. And season 4 will bring some fresh faces into the action. “Coming back for the table read just felt relieving. It had been long overdue to get back to it. The pandemic hitting right after didn’t help. But just to see everyone and getting to see new faces was always extremely fun.”

Jamie Campbell Bower, Eduardo Franco, Joseph Quinn, and A Nightmare on Elm Street icon Robert Englund will all be joining the cast for the show’s fourth season. I wonder if Matarazzo was referencing one of these newcomers or if there are other guest stars lined up.

We’ll just have to wait to see what happens when season 4 of Stranger Things premieres, hopefully sometime in 2021!

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