While it was released around Halloween, Netflix subscribers are still recovering from the wild and emotional ride that was Stranger Things 2. The streaming service's sci-fi period piece was the breakout hit of 2016, and the sophomore season helped to expand the world of Hawkins and develop the beloved cast of characters in new and exciting ways. And with the cliffhanger ending teasing the inevitable return of the Mind Flayer, fans already eager to return to The Duffer Brothers' quirky world and continue the battle against the nefarious forces plaguing the town. But when should we expect Stranger Things 3 to arrive? Star David Harbour seems to have an idea, and it looks like we're going to have to wait quite a while before his character Hopper returns to the small screen.
I mean, one of the things that's annoying for fans is that it takes us a long time to do them. Like, you probably won't get [Season 3] until sometime in 2019. But also part of the thing is, like any good thing, they need time. And those guys work so hard. I mean, they just sit in their apartment and write for 12, 14 hours a day.
Bad news, Stranger Things fans. Season 3 apparently won't arrive in the impending New Year. Instead, we'll just have to re-watch the first two seasons, while also checking out the cast in their various other projects.
David Harbour's comments to Variety are sure to shock some Stranger Things fans. With the cast of child actors aging normally, it seems like there's a ticking clock in regards to how quickly the final few seasons are produced. The kids' age was clearly noticeable in Season 2, although a year long time jump helped to have their physical changes make sense logistically. They'll likely have to do the same with Season 3, although it now seems that the time jump may need to be closer to two years, if Harbour's timeline is to be believed.
And as disappointing as it is to know that the show's third season may be in 2019, it makes sense considering how successful the Stranger Things cast has become since the show premiered in the summer of 2016. David Harbour has booked the title character in the new Hellboy movie, and Millie Bobby Brown has an upcoming role in another sci-fi property: Godzilla: King of Monsters. Finn Wolfhard has been booking a ton of work as well, including his acclaimed performance from the recent IT remake. So with the actors' various schedules getting more and more busy, and The Duffer Brothers needing to plan out their plans for the future of the series, 2019 might not seem like such a bad choice after all.
Stranger Things' first two seasons are currently streaming on Netflix. In the meantime, check out our midseason premiere list to plan your next binge watch, and our cancellation list to see if your favorite show got the chop.
