The Stranger Things season 4 premiere will be preceded by a new content warning.
According to an exclusive Variety report, Netflix decided to add the disclaimer in wake of the deadly school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, this week. The card will be displayed before the season 3 recap that auto-plays at the beginning of season 4, episode 1. The change was announced less than a week after Netflix released the first eight minutes of the long-awaited premiere, which features graphic images of dead children at the Hawkins lab. Netflix has since deleted the sneak peek.
“We filmed this season of ‘Stranger Things’ a year ago. But given the recent tragic shooting at a school in Texas, viewers may find the opening scene of episode 1 distressing,” the content warning will reportedly read. “We are deeply saddened by this unspeakable violence, and our hearts go out to every family mourning a loved one.”
Variety reports the streaming giant also changed the episode 1 description, which now includes the following note: “Warning: Contains graphic violence involving children.”
Stranger Things 4 Vol. 1—described as the series’ darkest and most mature season yet—premieres at midnight Friday after a nearly three-year hiatus. Vol. 2 is scheduled debut on July 1 with episodes 8 and 9.
The season 4 premiere will come just several days after an 18-year-old gunman shot and killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary school. The suspect was killed by police and his motive remains unknown.
