Netflix announces Stranger Things 3 has officially started filming by way of releasing a short behind-the-scenes video depicting the cast and crew getting together to read the new scripts. Since its debut in 2016, Stranger Things has morphed into one of Netflix's most popular and acclaimed original series, earning a passionate following thanks to its nostalgic tone and memorable characters. Ever since the second season wrapped up last year, fans have been eager to return to Hawkins, where our heroes will do battle against a new evil force.

Over the past few months, Netflix has been gearing up for production on the third season, recruiting a few new cast members, while giving the returning stars substantial pay raises. With all the pieces in place, the only left to do was start rolling the cameras, and now work has begun on the next batch of episodes. You can check out the video in the space above.

Essentially serving as a roll call of the Stranger Things 3 cast, a key aspect of the video is seeing the name cards of the old friends (the veterans) and a few strangers (the fresh faces) that will be showing up in the new season. There are three new characters being added to the ensemble, played by Maya Hawke, Cary Elwes, and Jake Busey. Details for the trio are largely being kept under wraps, but we know Hawke's Robin is an "alternative girl" bored with her job, Elwes is playing Mayor Kline, and Busey's newcomer is simply Bruce. How they will fit into the narrative remains to be seen, and it'll be interesting how the showrunners balance the multitude of characters they're working with. Of course, Stranger Things 2 successfully integrated a handful of additions, so hopefully things turn out similar now.

Stranger Things Gang

Besides brief character details, the one big confirmation concerning Stranger Things 3 is that it's set in the summer of 1985, when classic genre films such as Back to the Future and The Goonies were released. Netflix's hit show is smart about not getting bogged down in its pop culture references (though, they are very much part of its DNA), so it'll be interesting to see how callbacks are integrated in the third season. Given the similarities Stranger Things has to Goonies, there are plenty of opportunities to get meta. That being said, by now audiences are so invested in the character dynamics and storylines that Netflix doesn't need to rely on '80s nostalgia to generate attention. Stranger Things has carved out its own thing over the past couple of years, and people want to see that continue.

Unfortunately, it's going to be a bit of a wait before viewers can see what Stranger Things 3 has in store. It's believed Netflix won't premiere the next season until an unspecified point in 2019, giving the team plenty of time to complete the eight episodes they have planned. But now that production is underway, fans will be on the lookout for set photos so they can learn whatever they can about the third season.

MORE: Every Stranger Things 3 Update You Need To Know

Source: Netflix