Netflix's smash hit, Stranger Things, will continue with its 80's setting in its third season, executive producer Shawn Levy confirmed Sunday night. Speaking on the red carpet before the show's PaleyFest panel is Los Angeles, Levy established that season three picks up in 1985, and that the romantic pairings seen at the end of season two will still be in full bloom.
"Mike and Eleven and are going strong, so that's a relationship that continues, and same with Mad Max and Lucas. But again, they're like 13 or 14-year-old kids, so what does romance mean at that stage of life? It can never be simple and stable relationships and there's fun to that instability," Levy said.
One of the standout moments from the second season was the development of Steve Harrington, who went from a stereotypical high school jock to something of a protector and older brother figure to the younger kids in the show. Levy promised that we haven't seen the last of "Dad Steve", adding that they have more planned for the character in season three. "We'll definitely get to see some more of Steve Harrington in season three, and I'll just say we won't be abandoning the Dad Steve magic," Levy said. "I don't want to say much more, but I literally feel that we were walking along and we stumbled onto a gold mine with Dad Steve."
Levy also confirmed that the season begins filming next month, and will reference the famous 1985 film, Back to the Future. An official release date for the season has not been announced, though the cast members just received significant pay increases ahead of filming.