The delay of Stranger Things Season 4 is undoubtedly one of the most disappointing things that has happened in 2020. Although the next season of the Netflix series was already in production back in March, filming had to be put on hold due to COVID-19. This has then led to the release of the fourth season being in limbo perhaps until the next year. Nevertheless, David Harbour continues to hype up Season 4 by comparing Jim Hopper's return to Gandalf's unexpected resurrection in The Lord of the Rings.
It's no secret that Jim Hopper will be back in Stranger Things Season 4. After all, the first teaser for the fourth season put the focus on Hopper, who somehow ended up in Russia after the events that took place in the previous season finale. Although it's a surprise revelation considering that the character was believed to have been killed by the explosion at Starcourt, it's also a welcome one for fans who were hoping to see more of David Harbour on the Netflix series. Not surprisingly, Harbour says that Hopper's return was something that he and creators the Duffer Brothers have planned for a long time.
David Harbour recently spoke to Total Film to promote Black Widow but he also discussed his return in Stranger Things Season 4. According to Harbour, he had spoken to the co-creators about how his character should be brought back in the series.
"I've had those discussions with them from the very first season. We were always interested in that idea of the Gandalf resurrection - Gandalf the Grey who fights the Balrog and then becomes Gandalf the White. It's the idea of the resurrection of the character," Harbour said. He then added that it was important for Hopper to return as a different man.
"Mythologically, Hopper, in a sense, had to change. I mean, you couldn't go on the way he was going on. He has to resurrect in some way. So it was a great opportunity to do that. So we'll see a very different guy going forwards. The same guy but in a different vein. It's a very cool thing to be able to play," Harbour concluded.
It's an interesting metaphor considering that both Hopper and Gandalf made the ultimate sacrifice to save everyone around them. In The Lord of the Rings, Gandalf chose to stay behind and battle the Balrog so the rest of the Fellowship could escape. It's the same thing for Hopper but he also ended up in a more dangerous place.
What will happen to Hopper in Stranger Things Season 4? The truth could be revealed when the show's return date is finally announced. Stay tuned for more updates on this story.
