Typically speaking, a sequel – or indeed any kind of follow-up, regardless of medium – is so often championed as a darker, grittier version of its predecessor, one that iterates on the core themes and story threads introduced to enthral audiences once more. As The Incredibles director Brad Bird so aptly put, it’s repeating yourself without necessarily repeating yourself, and ahead of Stranger Things season 2 arriving this summer, Shawn Levy has been tasked with that exact conundrum.
When Stranger Things made its humble bow last summer, the Netflix original series quickly became a runaway success, leading the online giant to fast-track a sophomore season into development. Production has been trucking along as planned ever since – with a new casting addition here and there, of course – and though Netflix is yet to announce an official premiere date, excitement for Stranger Things season 2 is beginning to swirl.
One actor confirmed to return is Noah Schnapp. He played Will Byers in the inaugural season and spent much of Stranger Things trapped in the nightmarish alternate dimension known as the Upside Down. Thankfully, Will lived to tell the tale, but as Schnapp tells Vanity Fair, his time spent in the Upside Down will have some lasting consequences – and none of them good.
“You’ll be seeing more of me. I’ll be there. In the last episode, I threw up a slug, so season 2 begins with what happens from there. There may have been some effect on him. I may or may not have turned into a monster. You’ll have to watch to find out.”“Season 2 is bigger and potentially darker in its stakes. The threat, which in Season 1 was to Will Byers, has grown. That’s all I’m going to say! But, I will say Season 2 has a bigger cast and is definitely loyal to the kind of magical storytelling that we established in the first season. It’s character-based and still about our core group of characters.”
When quizzed about what fans can expect from season 2, Shawn Levy cautioned that while Stranger Things has grown – both in cast and scope – the focus remains on “our core group of characters.”
“Season 2 is bigger and potentially darker in its stakes. The threat, which in Season 1 was to Will Byers, has grown. That’s all I’m going to say! But, I will say Season 2 has a bigger cast and is definitely loyal to the kind of magical storytelling that we established in the first season. It’s character-based and still about our core group of characters.”
Stranger Things season 2 is without a premiere date at the moment, but that hasn’t quelled rumors of a third season getting the green light.
