EXCLUSIVE: Stranger Things’ Joe Keery on season 4 – “Relationships are the core; that is the backbone of why we are rooting for these characters”

By Monica Yadav -

May 29, 2022 - 3:34 PM IST

Stranger Things Vol. 4 Part 1 arrive on Netflix on Friday making it one of the spookiest seasons so far. The season 4 is twice as long as the previous seasons and will be split into two volumes with last two episodes arriving in July 2022. Ahead of the series' launch, Bollywood Hungama had a chance to speak to Joe Keery, Maya Hawke, Natalia Dyer and new recruit Joseph Quinn during virtual group junket.

EXCLUSIVE: Stranger Things’ Joe Keery on season 4 – “Relationships are the core; that is the backbone of why we are rooting for these characters”

There were speculations that Steve Harrington, played by Joe Keery, will take on action hero role in this season which seems very evident if one has watched Vol. 4 already. When Bollywood Hungama asked what this season would be like for his character and whether he takes on the 80s style action hero avatar, the actor said that relationships are the "backbone" of the series. "This whole season, a big part of it, is action. Reading it on the page I felt, 'Wow, there is a lot for everyone to do'. Everybody has a lot of moments. The relationships are the core of the show, that is the backbone of why we are rooting for these characters. That continues and evolves in this season," Keery said.

Set in the 1980s, the popular Netflix series returns 3 years after the last season. It’s been six months since the Battle of Starcourt, which brought terror and destruction to Hawkins. Struggling with the aftermath, our group of friends are separated for the first time – and navigating the complexities of high school hasn't made things any easier. In this most vulnerable time, a new and horrifying supernatural threat surfaces, presenting a gruesome mystery that, if solved, might finally put an end to the horrors of the Upside Down.

Talking about the action-packed season, he adds, "The action is fun, but the reason the show is so great to work on is because of the cast we have. Everything feels more natural, it is encouraging and a collaborative environment. That is really all you could ask for, something that I love and look forward to each time I come to film.".

Created by The Duffer Brothers, Stranger Things is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions & 21 Laps Entertainment with The Duffer Brothers serving as executive producers, alongside Shawn Levy and Dan Cohen of 21 Laps Entertainment, Iain Paterson, and Curtis Gwinn. The series stars Winona Ryder (Joyce Byers), David Harbour (Jim Hopper), Millie Bobby Brown (Eleven), Finn Wolfhard (Mike Wheeler), Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin Henderson), Caleb McLaughlin (Lucas Sinclair), Noah Schnapp (Will Byers), Sadie Sink (Max Mayfield), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers), Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Maya Hawke (Robin Buckley), Priah Ferguson (Erica Sinclair), Brett Gelman (Murray), Cara Buono (Karen Wheeler) and Matthew Modine (Dr. Brenner).

Stranger Things Vol. 4 Part 2 returns with last two episodes on July 1.