Stranger Things season 4 almost done filming — expect news very soon

Stranger Things season 4
(Image credit: Netflix)

We've been waiting for official Stranger Things season 4 release date information for what feels like forever, spending our spring and summer looking for details in cast interviews. But it appears that our wait for just a crumb of detail may finally be over — and very soon. 

Stranger Things director and executive producer Shaun Levy has disclosed that the Netflix show will be giving "the world a ballpark," about Stranger Things season 4 by August 13. This could be read as Netflix divulging a release date window, such as "summer 2022," but it's unclear. We're hoping it's not just "2022," which would be even less precise. 

Levy told these details to Steve Weintraub at Collider, and the full quote is a bit more illuminating. When asked about a release date announcement, he stated “I have been, along with the brothers, we have been kind of tag-teaming it and directing it as recently as now. So not quite done filming. [We’ll be done] imminently. All I can say is by the time this airs, we’ll at least have given the world a ballpark. And I’m not allowed to say more. By the time Free Guy comes out, August 13th, part of that answer will be known.”

If that sounds like Netflix is being very tight about its control over all of its info? We're not surprised. Maya Hawke (Robin) told Collider that she's not "allowed to [reveal] when [they] finish filming." According to Levy there will be a "a little taste of something" — not a full trailer — that accompanies the information we get in the next nine days. So Netflix is going to treat this as a big event, clearly. 

Trying to predict Stranger Things season 4's release date

The fact that Stranger Things season 4 will be done "imminently" is of note, as it means they'll move to the post-production cycle. This will likely take a fair bit of time, as Stranger Things is an effects-heavy series, and push them into 2022. 

Previously, Black Widow star David Harbour (Sheriff Hopper) told Jimmy Kimmel Live that he thinks the show "should be done" shooting in August, which would match what Levy said above. If this is true, we'd expect an April 2022 release, based on the previous eight-month window between season 3 wrapping and airing. 

Our expectations for 2022 were first set by series star Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), who told Fanmio that "Season 4 ... it should be out sometime next year, hopefully."

Henry T. Casey
Managing Editor (Entertainment, Streaming)

Henry is a managing editor at Tom’s Guide covering streaming media, laptops and all things Apple, reviewing devices and services for the past seven years. Prior to joining Tom's Guide, he reviewed software and hardware for TechRadar Pro, and interviewed artists for Patek Philippe International Magazine. He's also covered the wild world of professional wrestling for Cageside Seats, interviewing athletes and other industry veterans.