Stranger Things Season 3 Trailer Introduces Hawkins' New Monster In A Big Way

Finally! Stranger Things Season 3 is no longer just a mythical presence hovering somewhere on the darkest side of the horizon, complete with mysterious episode titles. It's coming soon, and the very first trailer has now arrived in all its monster-introducing and mall-walking glory. Check it out below!

For all the fun, exciting and potentially hilarious moments involving Dustin and Steve's mimed sword-and-lightsaber fights, I think the biggest moment of the trailer for the mythology fans will definitely be when Stranger Things' newest monster shows off his ugly spittle-filled maw while all out in the open here in our world.

stranger things season 3 monster

One thing is for sure: that guy (or gal) doesn't look very happy, nor particularly willing to just chill out and let everybody off the hook for anything. Also, it's probably impossible for that thing to find a pair of shoes that fit, even in the new mall.

I certainly hope none of our sometimes fearless heroes were hoping to use that exit back there, because it's going to be out of commission for a bit. The trailer makes it look like Charlie Heaton's Jonathan is the only one in the hospital hallway with that slimy cretin, but that could have just been an editing trick. Whoever's in front of it is in dire straits, regardless.

The new Stranger Things Season 3 trailer is obviously full of other (rats and) big and wild moments, too, including our first big looks at the show's two newest characters. Princess Bride and Saw vet Cary Elwes is set to recur as Hawkins' Mayor Kline, who looks like he'll have something to do with putting on the big town fair that will likely get disrupted by transdimensional creatures.

Then there's Jake Busey's Bruce, who only pops up for the briefest of moments, and with a wild look in his eyes. I mean, this is Jake Busey, who seemingly gets cast based entirely on the wild looks that his eyes are capable of. But what's he looking all wild about here in Stranger Things?

Busey is playing a Hawkins Post journalist with a dark sense of humor and a lack of steely morals. Something tells me he'll be doing some investigating when it comes to everything happening with Sheriff Hopper, his gigantic mustache and the kids.

All that, and we still haven't talked about the return of Eleven! And also the return of Eleven getting into strange circumstances that lie on the outside of normal reality! That's just what she knows, although she does look to be more excited by the concept of a shopping mall than she'd be by a buffet filled only with waffles.

Fans will get to learn what will happen to Eleven after the Mind Flayer's "defeat" at the end of Season 2, and judging by Mr. Sloppy Face above, it doesn't look like there will be any lack of deadly forces coming after her and her friends. If only Eleven could fall back on the happy worries of flirting at arcades and shopping for shoes, as opposed to witnessing evil storms and getting trapped in black abysses.

stranger things season 3 trailer eleven

Looks like it's time for all the Stranger Things characters to do some growing up in Season 3. Well, except for Dustin and Steve, obviously. They're allowed to stay childish forever!

Stranger Things Season 3 will be here to celebrate America's birth with the rest of the nation when it premieres on Netflix on Thursday, July 4, at 12:01 a.m. PT.

Nick Venable
Assistant Managing Editor

Nick is a Cajun Country native and an Assistant Managing Editor with a focus on TV and features. His humble origin story with CinemaBlend began all the way back in the pre-streaming era, circa 2009, as a freelancing DVD reviewer and TV recapper.  Nick leapfrogged over to the small screen to cover more and more television news and interviews, eventually taking over the section for the current era and covering topics like Yellowstone, The Walking Dead and horror. Born in Louisiana and currently living in Texas — Who Dat Nation over America’s Team all day, all night — Nick spent several years in the hospitality industry, and also worked as a 911 operator. If you ever happened to hear his music or read his comics/short stories, you have his sympathy.