We don't know if the upcoming season of Stranger Things will be weirder than years past—newly released episode titles like "The Battle of Starcourt” and "The Sauna Test" are promising—but we can say that the folks at Netflix are taking the "things" part of the name very seriously. The streaming giant has gone merch-mad, dropping all sorts of stuff for fans of the show to engage with. Whether you need to eat, dress yourself, or whittle away the hours before the July 4 premiere of the third season, there's something for you.
Burger King's Upside Down Whopper
Yup. Stranger Things has its own branded food now. Burger King teamed up with Netflix and Coca-Cola to reveal this Upside Down whopper in honor of the spooky sort of parallel universe you find inside every Burger King trying to invade Hawkins. As far as we can tell, it's literally a Whopper that's been plated incorrectly with some branded fries and a drink. They are also releasing Things-branded pins, shirts, and ketchup packets. Sadly, they won't be selling New Coke with the meals, though Coke is bringing that '80s experiment back in limited quantities ahead of the show.
The BK promo will only be available in 11 cities starting June 21. So if you aren't in Miami, Houston, Boston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Dallas, Chicago, San Francisco, Los Angeles, or New York, you'll have to turn your own burger on its head.
Baskin-Robbins Flavors
What better way to finish off your Upside Down-themed meal than with some alt-universe ice cream? The chain is releasing Eleven’s Heaven—a waffle cone ice cream that references the character's preferred meal—and Upside Down Pralines, which is chocolate, praline, and caramel. Other flavors include USS Butterscotch Quarts and a Demogorgon Sundae. They are also rolling out a Scoops Ahoy ice cream truck on the West Coast.
Nike Hawkins Gear
Unquestionably the coolest bit of Stranger Things gear, Nike's collection brings back era-appropriate silhouettes and items that are sure to go over well with fans of the show's throwback aesthetic. Some of them even shout out the fictional school at the heart of the series.
H&M Capsule Collection
While Nike's collection is focused on school, H&M's leans toward summer break. Their team-up with Netflix produced a lot of bright red swimwear, branded red and white flip-flops, and a few floral tops to wear after you've dried off.
This Incredible Lego Set
Leave it to LEGO to let their imaginations run wild with the idea of the Upside Down. While a parallel hell dimension might not seem like the greatest starting point for a children's toy, the minds behind the teeny bricks were able to think outside of the big, flat, green base and create a creepy mirrored playset.
Games
All of this gear is hinting at one thing: fans really want to inhabit the world of Stranger Things. They can get halfway there by aping the clothes their favorite characters wear, but few things can bring die-hards as close to the genuine article as video games. With that in mind, Stranger Things is releasing two games, one a location-based mobile phone app and the other a proper game for Nintendo Switch. Netflix reps raved over the mobile game at E3, calling it a "RPG/puzzle hybrid game that has location-based technology, meaning that no matter where you are at in the world, you can fight and battle against the Upside Down, even in your own backyard."
Netflix's Chris Lee said they've "developed this amazing 80s, retro, Saturday morning cartoon art style that we’ve absolutely fallen in love with."
For real nerds, Stranger Things is releasing its own special edition Dungeons & Dragons campaign, mimicking the one played by the kids in the show.
