Stranger Things 4 star previews new villain Vecna

Throughout the first three seasons, the kids in Stranger Things have been challenged by a whole lot of Dungeons & Dragons-inspired monsters, from the Demogorgon to the Mind Flayer. In season 4, they face a creature inspired by perhaps D&D’s most powerful villain: sorcerer-turned-god Vecna.

We best prepare ourselves for plenty of action-packed, monster-fighting goodness. Thankfully, it seems the kids of Hawkins have found a new ally in metalhead and Hawkins High’s Dungeons & Dragons club leader Eddie Munson (Joe Quinn). His knowledge of the tabletop game could be key to the group’s success. “I don’t think it’s a part-time gig,” Quinn told Entertainment Weekly of Eddie’s addiction to D&D. “It’s a real lifestyle.”

They’re gonna need all the help they can get to fight this guy:

Stranger Things season 4 recalls “David Cronenberg genre horror and Scooby-Doo“

Quinn talked about what to expect from the new big bad. Naturally, Vecna is inspired by horror villains of ’80s, which is the show’s trademark. “The big threat in this season is a real wink to the great horror baddies of the past,” Quinn said. “I think people will really respond to it.”

It feels like every season the cast says things get bigger and better. To be fair, they are never wrong. “There was one sequence in the woods,” Quinn continued. “It was a night shoot. We got there and the whole forest was lit up. It was so thrilling. There’s some sequences in it that are just… It’s going to be massive, I think.”

Quinn compared the feel of season 4 to “David Cronenberg genre horror and Scooby-Doo,” but said that it also stands on its own. “It’s weird. There’s this group of kids in the face of adversity and trying to get through it, but it’s dark.”

We’ve definitely heard the word “dark” plenty of times as cast members hype the new season. Just how dark is it going to be?

Stranger Things star remembers his time on Game of Thrones

You might not recognize him, but Joe Quinn was on Game of Thrones! He played Koner, a guard at Winterfell sworn to House Stark. But for him, the opportunity to play even a tiny role in the HBO fantasy was a dream come true.

“It was such good fun,” he said. “I was a big fan of the show. It was fun to have a sword and be in Winterfell. I remember thinking that was quite cool.”

Stranger Things season 4 has nine episodes total. The first batch will premiere on May 27, with the second dropping July 1 on Netflix.

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