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Romance blooms in 'Stranger Things' season 3

"Stranger Things" Executive Producer Shawn Levy reveals more of what's in store in the next season of the hit Netflix sci-fi series.

Bonnie Burton
Journalist Bonnie Burton writes about movies, TV shows, comics, science and robots. She is the author of the books Live or Die: Survival Hacks, Wizarding World: Movie Magic Amazing Artifacts, The Star Wars Craft Book, Girls Against Girls, Draw Star Wars, Planets in Peril and more! E-mail Bonnie.
Bonnie Burton
2 min read

Warning: "Stranger Things" season 3 spoilers ahead. 

While production of the next season of popular Netflix series "Stranger Things" begins in mid-April, fans will still have to wait patiently for 2019 to see what happens next to the residents of Hawkins, Indiana.

That doesn't mean fans are completely left in the dark until then, though. While doing press during Paleyfest in Los Angeles on Sunday, Executive Producer Shawn Levy disclosed that Eleven (Millie Bobbie Brown) and Mike (Finn Wolfhard), as well as Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink), will continue their romances at the beginning of the next season.

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Here's hoping teen romance survives the Upside Down in season 3 of "Stranger Things."

Video screenshot by Bonnie Burton/CNET

"Mike and Eleven and are going strong, so that's a relationship that continues, and same with Mad Max and Lucas," Levy told Hollywood Reporter on Sunday. "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."

Fans will also get to see more of the older teen character Steve Harrington (Joe Keery), who showed his paternal side with younger character Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), guiding him through the perils of the Upside Down and school dances alike. 

"I'll just say we won't be abandoning the Dad Steve magic," Levy added. 

Previous season 3 details revealed that it will be one episode shorter than season 2 -- eight episodes total. The season will also take place in the summer of 1985, a year ahead from the end of season 2. 

Levy also hinted that the 1985 blockbuster film "Back to the Future" will serve as a strong reference in the new season, much like "Ghostbusters" did last season.

In the new season, fans will also see more of Lucas' sassy younger sister Erica (Priah Ferguson), as well as a new character called Robin (Maya Thurman-Hawke), who will play "a young woman who is bored at her job until she learns more about Hawkins' dark secrets."

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