The launch of Stranger Things season four has proved hugely successful, with the Duffer Brothers’ sci-fi show having the biggest premiere weekend ever for a Netflix original series.
- READ MORE: ‘Stranger Things’ season four part one review: all the terrifying thrills you’ve come to expect
Launching May 27, fans have racked up 286.79 million viewing hours in the first few days, beating out the launch of Bridgerton season two which managed 193 million viewing hours.
According to Netflix, this also is the first season of Stranger Things to reach number one in 83 countries, setting another premiere weekend record. The series reached the top 10 in all 93 countries Netflix is tracking.
In the run up to the launch of season four, previous seasons of Stranger Things also saw a huge uplift in views, with people watching 38million hours of season one, 22.2million hours of season two and 24.3million hours of season three between May 23 and 29.
Streams of Kate Bush’s ‘Running Up That Hill’ have also increased by 153 per cent after the song appeared in several key scenes of Stranger Things‘ fourth season.
The first seven episodes of Stranger Things season four are available to stream now, with the last two being released July 1.
According to show creators the Duffer brothers, those final two episodes will set up season five.
“Typically in the previous seasons, everything wraps up in a nice bow,” Matt Duffer told NME. “Four and five are really [connected] together. [With five], there’ll be no wind-up time – like even this season, you get to experience the kids and what they’re going through in high school before things start to escalate. Then it gets crazier and crazier and crazier – that’s typically the trajectory. Five, you’re just going to be right in the middle of it so it’s going to feel very, very different.”
Elsewhere, the Duffer brothers confirmed that Stranger Things will end with season five.
Speaking to NME, Matt Duffer said he and Ross have an end in mind for the final bow. “We do have an end. I’m sure a lot of it’s going to change, but now [it’s] the end.
“It’s just one of those things that you come up with and you go, ‘That’s it, that’s right, that’s inevitable – that’s what it has to be.’”
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