Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 comes nearly five weeks after the seven-episode Volume 1.
Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 episodes are longer than ever
Photo Credit: Netflix
Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 — out this week on Netflix — has created a great deal of buzz among fans as it comes nearly five weeks after the seven-part Volume 1, which ended on a shocking note with a big reveal. The two-part conclusion to Stranger Things season 4 is touted to be an action-packed affair with a ‘cinematic' look and feel. Spoilers ahead for Volume 1. Moreover, according to Jamie Campbell Bower — who plays the nefarious villain Vecna — the narrative will have “tremendous emotional depth” this time around.
To add to this, there is the distinct possibility that certain beloved characters may meet a tragic fate on Stranger Things 4 Volume 2, given the core theme of revenge. Further, Millie Bobby Brown, who plays the fan-favourite Eleven, had earlier hinted at this with her “you need to start killing people of” remark.
Then, of course, Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2 will set the stage for the fifth and final season, which marks the end of the Netflix saga that started in 2016.
With that, here's everything you need to know about Stranger Things 4 Volume 2.
Both episodes from Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 will be out Friday, July 1 on Netflix at 12:30pm IST / 12am PT.
Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2 consists of two super-sized episodes titled “Papa” and “The Piggyback”, which have runtimes of 1 hour, 25 minutes and 2 hours, 19 minutes, respectively.
This essentially means that they are longer than the Ryan Reynolds movies Free Guy and The Adam Project, helmed by Stranger Things producer and director Shawn Levy, which had runtimes of 115 minutes and 106 minutes, respectively.
Bower, who stunned all with his shocking and unnerving transformation in the closing moments of Stranger Things season 4 Volume 1, returns as the monstrous Vecna out to wreak havoc. He recently told The Hollywood Reporter that Volume 2 will explore the character's human's side: “I think what you will see is more of the human aspect of Vecna. Let me say that much. And there's a huge, great, cool thing — I need to keep my mouth closed! — but there's a huge, great, cool thing you see as well.”
Similarly, expect Brown's Eleven to be at her fiercest best, as the final two episodes of Stranger Things season 4 essentially revolve around her attempts at getting even with Vecna. The Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 trailer suggested the same as she seemed to disobey Dr. Martin Brenner and leave the Nevada facility.
In addition to Brown and Bower, the Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2 cast includes Winona Ryder as Eleven's adoptive mother Joyce Byers, Finn Wolfhard as her boyfriend Mike Wheeler, and Noah Schnapp as his best friend Will Byers.
David Harbour returns as former Hawkins police chief Jim Hopper, while Gaten Matarazzo and Caleb McLaughlin reprise their roles as Mike and Will's friends Dustin Henderson and Lucas Sinclair, respectively.
Harbour recently dropped a hint about what is in store for these characters this time around, when he said that whatever has happened so far “will look like chump change” compared to the events set to unfold on Stranger Things 4 Volume 2.
The Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2 cast also includes Sadie Sink as Sinclair's former girlfriend Max Mayfield, Natalia Dyer as Wheeler's sister Nancy Wheeler, Charlie Heaton as Joyce's oldest son and Will's brother Jonathan Byers, Joe Keery as Nancy's former boyfriend Steve Harrington, Maya Hawke as Steve's best friend Robin Buckley, Priah Ferguson as Lucas' sister Erica Sinclair, Cara Buono as the Wheeler matriarch Karen Wheeler, and Brett Gelman as former investigative journalist Murray Bauma, who reprise their roles from the earlier seasons.
Eduardo Franco and Joseph Quinn too return as Jonathan's friend Argyle and Hellfire Club founder Eddie Munson, respectively. The latter fan-favourite is seen playing a guitar in the Upside Down in the Volume 2 trailer.
A sneek-peek for Stranger Things 4 Volume 2 was attached to the final episode of Volume 1. The 30-second long preview featured an ominous voiceover from Vecna as the monster told Eleven that it was “all over” as she had “freed” him.
Netflix subsequently released a full-length trailer (below) for Stranger Things season 4 Volume 2, which focused on Vecna and Wheeler's intense equation, before transforming into an action-packed affair.
At the time of writing, not a single review is available for Stranger Things 4 Volume 2, which suggests that initial reactions might be on embargo, as is usually the case with most Netflix originals.
Creators and showrunners the Duffer Brothers have already confirmed that Stranger Things, as we know it, will end with a fifth and final season. It's already in the works.
We should have a clearer idea of what the future holds for Stranger Things, after watching the final two episodes of season 4.
This, however, will not mark the end of the franchise per se, as they feel “there are still many more exciting stories to tell” through spin-offs.
Matt Duffer recently revealed that the spin-off series is “going to be different than what anyone is expecting”.
Why are they still making more Harry Potter? We discuss this on Orbital, the Gadgets 360 podcast. Orbital is available on Spotify, Gaana, JioSaavn, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music and wherever you get your podcasts.
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