Stranger Things writers share the five movies that will "in some way" relate to season 4

Want some clues hinting at the future of Stranger Things season 4? The series announcement was undeniably cryptic, so the writers have thrown us a bone by giving us the five movies that they have been discussing recently in preparation for another trip to the Upside Down – and they involve grief, loss… and time travel. Uh-oh.

As per the “Stranger Writers” account on Twitter, the five flicks are: The Peanut Butter Solution, The Fisher King, Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, You’ve Got Mail, and Ordinary People.

Of course, each could be a red herring or just something discussed in terms of a particularly minor plot point. The selection still offers a glimpse at the thematic qualities in Stranger Things season 4.

Interestingly, a handful of these (The Fisher King, Ordinary People) deal with life in the big city and involve coping with traumatic events, including deaths and suicide. With the first Stranger Things season 4 teaser outright saying, “We’re not in Hawkins anymore,” each could be a touchstone for how the Byers family deals with life outside Indiana.

Meanwhile, The Peanut Butter Solution is perhaps a more obscure reference point: it features plenty of fantasy horror, as well as an older authority figure exploiting children for his own end – much like Eleven’s origins.

Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey may be the most recognisable, though, and also the most interesting. That’s because it contains time travel and is also delightfully ‘80s in terms of its big hair, big ballads, and even bigger fantastical scope, despite being released in 1991.

And You’ve Got Mail? It’s a Tom Hanks romantic comedy about two business rivals who find love with each other on an online chatroom. Uhh. We’ve got nothing.

Still, if you’ve got a dozen or so hours this week, it will be worth checking in with five movies you may (or may not) have heard about – and it might just reveal a little about what to expect from Stranger Things season 4. 

Keep adding to your watch list with our look at the best movies on Netflix.