You can go ahead and add Stranger Things to the growing list of television shows bound for San Diego Comic-Con.
Rubbing shoulders with Game of Thrones, Westworld, and Marvel’s Defenders ensemble series, Netflix’s sci-fi smash has officially reserved its place on the ticket for SDCC 2017, and a brief new promo has arrived today to prove it. Truth be told, it teases more of the same, and is in many ways a truncated version of the same season 2 teaser that aired during February’s Super Bowl event. Perhaps that’s for the best, though, lest Netflix spoil any surprises ahead of Comic-Con getting underway in three weeks’ time.
What can we expect from our return trip to Hawkins, Indiana? A more intense and thrilling experience, according to series producer and director Shawn Levy, who has consistently championed the horror elements of season 2, even if the end product leaves some fans disappointed – disappointed by the fate of certain characters (i.e. Barb), as opposed to the quality of Stranger Things as a whole.
Only time will tell whether Stranger Things can really deliver on those lofty expectations. After all, the Netflix original made its humble debut in the summer of 2016 with little fanfare, and it was thanks to word of mouth – coupled with the sheer quality of the show itself – that helped catapult Things toward stardom. This time around, it’s an entirely different ballgame, and we’re intrigued to discover how audiences react to the show’s sophomore installment.
Stranger Things season 2 will run a little longer than expected – up to nine episodes from the original total of eight – but you needn’t worry too much about Netflix’s sci-fi hit overstaying its welcome; Matt and Ross Duffer’s estimation of a five-season arc was recently backed up by Gaten Matarazzo (Dustin), who told Paste Magazine that Things will likely reach its conclusion after “four or five seasons.”
Better to burn bright than to fade away, right?