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Is Stranger Things based on a book?

Stranger Things is not based on a book, but on conspiracy theories based on real-life events believed to have taken place.

Fans of the hit sci-fi Netflix original series, Stranger Things, have been waiting for the release of the fourth season since 2019. In the time leading up to this long-awaited release, fans have continued to wonder whether the series is based on a book or not.

The answer is no, the series is not based on a book. However, it is inspired by alleged real-life events and the conspiracy theories that have stemmed from these unconfirmed events.

Of course, the series did take its liberties in veering from the exact alleged details of the events, but overall, the narrative was inspired by events that some believe to have been true.

What is Stranger Things?

Stranger Things is the hit sci-fi, mystery, and horror series by Netflix which first premiered in July 2016. Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, popularly known as The Duffer Brothers, the series has since become one of Netflix’s flagship series.

The premise of the series is, “When a young boy disappears, his mother, a police chief and his friends must confront terrifying supernatural forces in order to get him back,” according to IMDb.

The series introduced new talent like Millie Bobby Brown to the industry, who plays the title character of Eleven. To date, the series has won over seven Primetime Emmys for its original premise.

Is Stranger Things based on a book?

Stranger Things is not based on a book, but the series is allegedly inspired by conspiracy theories based primarily on the Montauk Project.

The Montauk Project is a longstanding conspiracy theory from the 1980s, which suggests that the US military was conducting experiments on children.

The sentiments were further propagated when series star, Gaten Matarazzo, conducted an interview in 2017 stating that the series was inspired by Camp Hero.

Camp Hero is believed to have been a government lab where experiments were conducted on human beings. The camp, ironically, was located in Montauk.

Supposedly, the experiments were done in an attempt to devise mind-controlling devices that would help the US military win wars.

These conspiracies have been supported by books like The Montauk Project: Experiments in Time, written by one of the alleged surviving abductees, Preston B. Nichols.

So, the series might not be based on a book, but it does go to show that “fact” is often somewhat stranger than fiction.

When is Stranger Things season 4 coming out?

Confirmation of Stranger Things season four was shared in September 2019. The series concluded season three in July of the same year.

Unfortunately, fans did not know that they would have to wait almost three years until the fourth instalment would be released.

The reason for the extended delay of the season was the pandemic, which resulted in delays not only for Netflix productions, but film and television series in Hollywood as a whole.

But now, it has been confirmed that the series will return for its fourth season on Friday, 27 May 2022.

Netflix releases Stranger Things season 4 trailer

In April 2022, Netflix marked the countdown to the Friday, 27 May 2022 release of Stranger Things season four by releasing the official trailer.

Two distinctive details were confirmed with the release of the trailer. Firstly, Dacre Montgomery will not return to reprise his role as Billy, who sacrificed  himself for Eleven during the season three finale.

Moreover, the series will seemingly take on a darker and more mature tone with its narrative, considering that most of the cast are now 18 years of age or older.

Additionally, the new season will start with Eleven not having her powers after she removed a piece of the Mind Flayer embedded in her.

Stranger Things season 4 divided into 2

Another detail that fans should be prepared for is that this season of Stranger Things will be split into two volumes.

The first volume will consist of six episodes, and the second volume, expected to be released on Friday, 1 July 2022, will consist of three episodes.

The split-cour has been a recurring trend for Netflix, with shows such as Ozark, for which the final season was also a split-cour of seven episodes each.

However, this is not an indication that the series is coming to an end. Netflix and The Duffer Brothers have confirmed that there will be a fifth season of the show.

It has not been confirmed if the fifth will be the last season, but it is the trend with Netflix to end a series during its fourth or fifth season.

Final thoughts

Stranger Things season four is almost upon us, and fans are eagerly waiting Friday, 27 May 2022 for the release of the first six-part volume one of season.

Thereafter, they will wait another five weeks before releasing the three-episode volume two of season four on Friday, 1 July 2022.

As we wait, fans have sought clarity on whether the series is based on a book or not. The answer is no, but the series was inspired by conspiracy theories of alleged real-life events.

Specifically, the Montauk Project and other conspiracy theories of alleged mind-control and children used as experiments by the US military.