Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated a release date announcement would be made in the next 10 days. We now understand that is not the case, as Levy was alluding to a different kind of tease that would be coming soon. The corrected version of the story follows below.
Fans have been waiting a very long time for Stranger Things Season 4. Not just for the new episodes, but for news as to when we’ll actually get to see the new episodes. The Stranger Things Season 4 release date has been under lock and key at Netflix for some time now, largely owing to the unpredictable nature of the production. Filming was about a month in when the pandemic hit, and was then halted for the majority of 2020. When production resumed, it was at a much slower pace than before due to new safety guidelines, so and as of right now Netflix has still not announced when Season 4 will be released.
But filming is about to be complete, and with the end of production will come a new tease for fans. Collider’s own Steve Weintraub recently spoke with Stranger Things executive producer and director Shawn Levy during the press day for his new movie Free Guy, and asked Levy if filming was wrapped and if a release date announcement was imminent:
“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.”
While we initially interpreted Levy's comments to mean a release date announcement would "be known" within the next 10 days, we now understand that's not what he meant. The EP said whatever this announcement is would come with "a little taste of something" but not a full trailer. Indeed, the first teaser for Stranger Things Season 4 was released in February 2020, confirming that David Harbour’s Hopper was indeed alive and living in a Russian prison. And then in May 2020, another teaser was released but with no new information about Season 4.
As for when Stranger Things Season 4 will be released, it’s a guess at this point but the most likely options are Winter 2021/2022 or Spring 2022, given that Levy and the Duffer Brothers still have all that post-production to complete. But to be clear, as of right now, Netflix has not confirmed when Stranger Things Season 4 will be released.
Steven Weintraub contributed to this report.