After making viewers wait for what felt like forever, Netflix finally renewed Stranger Things for a second season. Finally!
Can't wait until 2017 for the new nine-episode season to hit? You're in luck. We've got you. This is what you can expect when we return to the Upside Down and Hawkins, Indiana.
WHERE WE PICK UP
It's the fall of 1984, roughly a year after the events of the first season, which was set in 1983. We last saw the Byer family celebrating Christmas in 1983. Will (Noah Schnapp) was home with Joyce (Winona Ryder) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)…and he was spitting up slugs and seeing the Upside Down. Uh oh.
NEW/SAME SETTING
We will return to both Hawkins, Indiana and the Upside Down when season two picks up—and somewhere completely different. "We will venture a little bit outside of Hawkins," Matt Duffer told EW. "I will say the opening scene [of the premiere] does not take place in Hawkins."
THE RETURN OF…
You can expect just about all of your favorites to return. Joyce will be there. So will Hopper (David Harbour), Jonathan, Mike (Finn Wolfhard), etc. But maybe not Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown). Yes, that is something the Duffer Brothers have been teasing.
"We don't know about Eleven," Ross Duffer told EW. "We leave that up in the air."
Take your moment and gasp.
"I cannot speak to that. And the other people you're about to ask me about, which I assume include Brenner [Matthew Modine] and Barb [Shannon Purser], I just cannot speak to it," executive producer Shawn Levy said about their returns. "I really believe that if we do divulge a ton of stuff, it would make for a less satisfying second season."
However, E! News hears Eleven will of course return for season two.
NEW CHARACTERS
Yeah, we're getting some fresh meat. Viewers will meet Roman, a person on the fringe of society who grew up homeless and suffered a great loss early in life. Ever since then, Roman has been out for revenge. Then there's Max, a young teen who's more of a tomboy and has a complicated history. She's guards her past and remains suspicious of pretty much everyone. Max's stepbrother, Billy, is charismatic and popular…but has a violent streak.
"There's definitely a handful of really compelling new characters this season, but absolutely servicing the core group first and foremost. But yes, we have some new characters entering the adventure," Levy told THR. "Like the show itself, it's multi-generational new characters and really, really intriguing ones."
Stranger Things season one is now streaming on Netflix. Season two will premiere in 2017.