All Stranger Things fans (and I know you must be one of us) likely share two things in common right now. Not only are we excited to finally be so close to the premiere of Stranger Things Season 4, but we’ve also been filled with eagerness for the new season for nearly three full years now. It would be a total shame, therefore, if all of our (not so patient) waiting was for naught, because we found ourselves accidentally spoiled on the sure-to-be-massive reveals of the new season. This, friends, is why Netflix and Stranger Things’ creators, Matt and Ross Duffer, are reportedly very unhappy with the fact that a board game has now spilled some of the show’s secrets.
What Board Game Has Spoiled Stranger Things Season 4?
The fourth season debut of Stranger Things will be upon us in just a few days (Friday, May 27, to be exact), and while we do now know more about some of the Stranger Things mysteries involving the new villain played by horror icon Robert Englund, obviously a lot is being kept secret for our own good. Unfortunately, there are leaked images online from a new, official tie-in, Monopoly game dedicated to the season, which The Hollywood Reporter notes spoils major plot points in Stranger Things Season 4. The images are of the cards used for the game, and the photos hit the internet in April.
There is a Reddit thread dedicated to the leaked Monopoly images (There aren't any spoilers in the thread that aren’t covered up. I checked, because I care about you guys and want you to be happy!), and where a moderator claims that they are “not a true leak” because the game is both officially licensed and was bought by someone at Target. The moderator also believes that this Monopoly tie-in was simply put out on the floor early and mistakenly by an employee, but THR hasn’t been able to confirm any of those purchase details.
How Did Netflix And The Duffer Brothers React To The Stranger Things Game Spoilers?
According to THR’s sources, Netflix (as one might assume) was not happy about this major mistake, but the leak has reportedly made the Duffers have a “total meltdown” about Stranger Things Season 4’s plot points being revealed. The anonymous sources claim that neither of the Duffer brothers had been consulted about the game, with one saying that this is despite them usually having a lot of involvement with any companion marketing products for the fantasy / sci-fi hit.
That source also said that this Monopoly mistake could likely be tied to the sheer scope of the franchising for Stranger Things (hello again, New Coke…, and welcome, Upside Down Whoppers), meaning that the game getting approval without the Duffers knowing was probably an accident. The source continued, saying:
Lessons have been learned and, I expect, there will be more cohesion going into Season 5.
Well, I think most of us can understand the Duffers being very angry about this. They have always sought to maintain as much secrecy about each season as possible, so that fans can be delighted at any turn of events as they watch the episodes unfold. Plus, as noted earlier, Season 4 is a big one, because of the nearly three-year wait and how much will be juggled storyline-wise this time around.
Stranger Things Season 4 will be released in two parts and have nine episodes, and the Duffers confirmed that the total runtime is “nearly twice the length of any previous season.” On top of that, this will be the first time that a bulk of a Stranger Things season will have to balance the core characters being split up and in very different locations, with there seemingly being four different storylines that have everyone we know and love interacting with the beasties from the Upside Down. And! Season 4 is officially the penultimate one, with Stranger Things Season 5 already being set as the final installment.
I’d probably be pissed if me and my team had worked hard to put together a season we were proud of after a tremendously long wait, only for its big secrets to be spoiled several weeks before the show was finally able to air. Wouldn't you?
Luckily, it is still possible to avoid those Stranger Things Season 4 spoilers, but come May 27 we’re all just going to have to stay off the internet until we can put the show right into our eyeballs and see what madness the Upside Down has wrought this time.
