With less than two weeks to go until the premiere of season three of Stranger Things, Netflix has dropped a new trailer that gives us a glimpse at what’s in store for the not-so-sleepy town of Hawkins. This season is set in the summer, as we see the teens enjoying classic summer fare like carnivals, swimming at the public pool, and plenty of time at the local mall (remember malls?). But it wouldn’t be Stranger Things without some added monster mayhem, as the kids discover that maybe they didn’t vanquish the Mind Flayer in the finale of season two.
The synopsis for the new season reads:
“It’s 1985 in Hawkins, Indiana, and summer’s heating up. School’s out, there’s a brand new mall in town, and the Hawkins crew are on the cusp of adulthood. Romance blossoms and complicates the group’s dynamic, and they’ll have to figure out how to grow up without growing apart. Meanwhile, danger looms. When the town’s threatened by enemies old and new, Eleven and her friends are reminded that evil never ends; it evolves. Now they’ll have to band together to survive, and remember that friendship is always stronger than fear.”
As we’ve seen in previous trailers, it appears that the Mind Flayer has found a new host in Billy Hargrove (Dacre Montgomery), the town’s sadistic bad boy. We’ve already seen the abusive, racist side of Billy in season two, traits that will no doubt be amplified by the evils of the Upside Down. We hear Billy say in voice-over, “You let us in, and now you’re going to have to let us stay.”
One would hope that this gives poor Will Byers a break from his inner demons, but the trailer hints that something may still be wrong with young Will. The trailer also gives us a peek at new Hawkins Mayor Larry Kline, played by Cary Elwes in another bit of 80s-inspired casting, as well as a mysterious man tracking Hopper’s vehicle.
Stranger Things has always done a great job of weaving in 80s nostalgia, and there’s no shortage of cultural touchstones to be found in the summer of 1985. That summer’s most iconic film was Back to the Future, but 1985 also saw the release of Weird Science and The Goonies. And don’t forget, 1985 was the year New Coke made its debut.
The trailer sees everyone arming up and taking refuge at the mall, as a massive monster storms the town. Billy’s voice-over says, “And now, it’s time, we’re going to end you. We’re going to end your friends. Then, we are going to end everyone.”
Season three of Stranger Things premieres on Netflix on July 4th.
(via Ars Technica, image: Netflix)
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