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‘Stranger Things’ showrunners reveal every major movie reference in season 3

Updated Jul 30th, 2019 3:45PM EDT
Stranger Things 4
Image: Netflix

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Stranger Things 3

is over and it’s understandable if you want more. However, we may have to wait quite a while until the fourth season launches, with shooting expected to start later this year for the upcoming season. However, all hope is not lost if you want to consume more Stranger Things content, because the showrunners just revealed all the movies that inspired them while making TV series, and all the references you might’ve missed while watching. Needless to say, the list includes plenty of well-known titles from the ‘80s.

If you’re old enough, the chances are good that you caught many of the subtle Easter eggs from Stranger Things that point to specific scenes from older movies. But unless you’re involved in the movie business, it’s probably unlikely to catch all the scenes that draw their inspiration from classics.

Thankfully, the Duffer Brothers, who are behind the wildly popular Stranger Things series, chatted with Wired in a lengthy video about all the films they appreciated growing up that were then referenced in the TV series.

As you’ll quickly discover, it’s not just horror and sci-fi films from the ‘80s that influenced them. It’s also not just Stephen King and Steven Spielberg’s creations that are echoed in Stranger Things, although you’ll find plenty of those. We’re also looking at newer pictures (Super 8), as well as movies that don’t necessarily have anything to do with the horror genre (Star Wars, ET, Mad Max, Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park, and Terminator).

Unsurprisingly, however, the majority of the films the Duffers reference in Stranger Things do have a horror aspect, with the list including plenty of classics like Aliens, IT, Carrie, Frankenstein, Ghostbusters, Jaws, The Exorcist, and others.

If you’ve already finished Stranger Things 3, then you should absolutely watch Wired’s video below, as it’ll show exactly which classic movie scenes the Duffers drew inspiration from in the TV series, and help you catch up on Easter eggs that you may have missed. Stranger Things 4, meanwhile, will launch in 2020 in a best-case scenario, but Netflix is not ready to reveal anything about it just yet.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.