Now that Netflix revealed Jim Hopper is alive and well in the new trailer for Stranger Things Season 4, the streaming platform has another big announcement: most of the new season will be shot in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Momita SenGupta—VP of Production for Netflix’s Original Series—has called season 4 “bigger, bolder, and more intricate than ever,” according to Deadline. “So this is the first time the show will be traveling beyond Atlanta.”
In 2018, Netflix acquired its first U.S. production hub, Albuquerque Studios, which happens to be located in, you guessed it, New Mexico. The streaming giant made a pledge to spend over $1 billion on local production during the next decade, and at this point, has spent over $150 million, employed 2,000 vendors and 1,600 full-time cast and crew members.
According to SenGupta, the New Mexico facility also happened to lend itself to the story of Season 4.
Remember, in the season 3 finale, we saw the Byers family and Eleven leaving Hawkins after Hopper’s “death.” But now we know Hopper’s alive—and from the looks of the trailer, he could be in Russia, which has a very different landscape from Indiana. Shooting in New Mexico is also a cheaper option for Netflix, rather than renting a studio in Atlanta, Georgia, where the previous seasons were shot.
Netflix hasn’t announced a release date for Stranger Things 4, but it’s expected to arrive at some point this year. Just in case you can't wait until then, here's a look at the cast reuniting for the season 4 table read.
