Stranger Things Creators Reveal Big Screen Inspirations for New Season

Season three of Netflix’s science fiction-horror series Strangers Things is set to drop on the streamer later this summer and the show’s creators recently talked about what fans can expect from the new season. Matt and Ross Duffer, the creative team behind the successful series, spoke with Entertainment Weekly on the plethora of different films that inspired them for season three’s big story arc. Among the films that inspired the coming season are Jurassic Park, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Thing, and the works of David Cronenberg. The sibling duo said that season three will feature the show’s youthful cast having the most fun yet in their adventures contending with the Upside Down but will also be the closest the series has ever come to full on horror.

David Harbour, who plays Chief Jim Hopper in the series, says that each season of Stranger Things has embraced different tones. Continuing, Harbour says that while season one of the series was inspired by the works of Stephen King, season two looked to the films of legendary director Steven Spielberg for a roadmap. Harbour says that season three will be even bigger and more Spielbergian in aesthetic. Despite the epic storytelling and big screen look, Harbour feels that what differentiates Stranger Things from other series is its heart and character dynamics. Harbour admits that he can’t help but choke up every time he watches the show, impressed by how the Duffer Brothers tug at the heartstrings of viewers and craft stories that are both beautiful and funny at the same time.

Dustin actor Gaten Matarazzo adds that fans of the show can look forward to more scenes between his character and Steve, who is played by Joe Keery. Fans of the show felt that the friendship between Dustin and Steve was one of the most enjoyable aspects of last season, where Steve became the inadvertent mentor of the younger Dustin. Matarazzo continues that one of the most appreciable parts of the Duffers’ writing style is their ability to recognize what fans like and find a way of incorporating it in future storylines.

Season three of Stranger Things will be available for streaming on July 4, 2019 on Netflix.