Joe Keery teases Stranger Things season 4: "This is definitely going to be a lot scarier than prior years"

Production on Stranger Things season 4 may have halted, but that has not dampened our excitement for the next instalment of Netflix's show. In fact, Joe Keery, who plays Steve Harrington, has us more excited than ever about the upcoming season – even if that instantly iconic Scoops Ahoy outfit has been retired.

"Oh man, it's pretty amazing – the Duffer brothers have really done it again," Keery tells our sister publication Total Film magazine while promoting the movie Free Guy, directed by Stranger Things producer Shawn Levy. "I think that this year – and I know I say this every single year – but this is definitely going to be a lot scarier than prior years, because last year was pretty dark."

Quizzed about hanging up the Scoops Ahoy outfit, he replies: "I know that costume served its purpose and I'm glad to retire it [laughs]. Do I have it at home for Halloween? I don't, unfortunately. They won't let me have that one. One day!"

Fingers crossed that Netflix and the Duffer brother can get that outfit to Keery ASAP. There's currently no word on when Stranger Things will return.

Meanwhile, Keery can be seen in cinemas this coming December in Free Guy alongside Ryan Reynolds, whose playing a videogame NPC gone rogue. The movie features on the cover of this month's Total Film, which you can see below.

Free Guy reaches cinemas December 11, 2020. Read more about the upcoming movie – plus extensive interviews with Free Guy's Taika Waititi, The Mandalorian's Werner Herzog, and Mallrats' Kevin Smith – in the new issue of Total Film magazine, which hits shelves and digital on Friday, May 1.

If you can’t make it to the shops, you can order a copy of the print magazine from this link from Friday. You can also subscribe to Total Film digitally on your tablet, and there’s currently an offer that allows you to get your first five digital issues for just £5/$5/€5. Head to this link to sign up (Black Widow issue available from April 3). Terms and conditions apply, offer runs until April 30, 2020. If you subscribe, you can get exclusive covers like the one below.

Jane Crowther is a freelance writer and the Editor-in-Chief at Hollywood Authentic magazine, having formerly been the longtime Editor of Total Film magazine. Jane is also the Chair of The Critics' Circle and a BAFTA member. You'll find Jane on GamesRadar+ exploring the biggest movies in the world and living up to her reputation as one of the most authoritative voices on film in the industry.