Netflix dropped a brand new trailer for Stranger Things season 4, giving glimpses at many returning characters, while others were notably missing from the teased action. Stranger Things season 3 premiered in July 2019, making it already over two years since the Hawkins characters have been on screen. Stranger Things’ trailer reveals season 4 will premiere in 2022, a much longer stretch than the year and some change waits between the previous three seasons, though COVID-19 shutting down production had some inevitable influence.
The Stranger Things season 4 trailer mostly includes clips from previous seasons, but sprinkles in a few teasers for the upcoming drama. Stranger Things season 3’s Scoops Troop (Steve, Dustin, and Robin – minus Erica) are shown on a taxing mission with Max, Lucas, and Nancy. Eleven appears in a clip with a new haircut, being held back by what appears to be federal agents. Hopper returns wearing a puffy jacket and a flamethrower, suggesting he successfully escaped Russian prison. In a blink-or-you’ll-miss-it cameo, Lucas’s sister Erica can also be seen riding her bike with Lucas, Max, and Dustin.
In lieu of some notable characters, the Stranger Things sneak peek focuses a few seconds on the mysterious grandfather clock teased in an earlier Stranger Things trailer. Most of the missing characters were sent off to other locations at the end of Stranger Things season 3, but there is the back of a silhouetted character looking at a burning car that could be either Jonathan or Will, though it isn’t easy to confirm. Here’s a breakdown of all the characters missing from Stranger Things’ new season 4 trailer.
Mike Wheeler
![Stranger Things: Every Character Missing From The Season 4 Trailer](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/mike-wheeler-stranger-things-3-finn-wolfhard.jpg)
Arguably the main character of the younger teens aside from Eleven, Mike Wheeler (Finn Wolfhard) is the most notable character to not appear in the Stranger Things season 4 trailer. Mike possibly reunited with his girlfriend Eleven considering she isn’t shown in group shots for the sneak peek. He may also be with the excluded Will Byers, who he calls his best friend and has been living with Eleven out of town.
Will Byers
![Stranger Things 3 Will The Wise](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Stranger-Things-3-Will-The-Wise-.jpg)
Hawkins’ Stranger Things season 1 drama all started after Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) went missing, so it’s notable that Will is also missing in the trailer. He and his family just moved out of the state following the Battle at Starfire Court, so the scenes shown in the trailer may just be from while he’s still out of Hawkins. It’s possible Will wasn’t included because he’s teamed up with Mike, who is also missing from the trailer, and Eleven, who moved away with Will and isn’t shown in any of the group shots.
Joyce Byers
![Joyce Byers and the portal in Stranger Things](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Joyce-Byers-and-the-portal-in-Stranger-Things.jpg)
Will and Jonathan’s mom, Joyce Byers (Winona Ryder), wasn’t shown in any clips from season 4’s sneak peek. The Stranger Things season 3 finale showed Joyce packing up her family, taking in Eleven as her own, and moving out of town, so she’s likely working a job to afford to feed all the kids. She was also devastated by the supposed death of Jim Hopper, whom she intended to finally go on a date with before he disappeared. Since Hopper was shown out of prison in the trailer, Joyce will likely reunite with him and face more action as a new romantic couple.
Jonathan Byers
![stranger-things-2-jonathan-byers-charlie-heaton](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/stranger-things-2-jonathan-byers-charlie-heaton.jpg)
Will’s older brother and Nancy’s boyfriend, Jonathan Byers (Charlie Heaton), wasn’t included in the trailer. Nancy was shown with the younger teens and the Scoops Troop, meaning Jonathan is likely still in their new hometown with his new character best friend Stranger Things has teased.
Karen Wheeler
![](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/karen-wheeler-stranger-things.jpg)
Mike and Nancy’s mother, Karen (Cara Buono), was featured in a wild Stranger Things season 3 storyline of nearly having an affair with Billy, but the new trailer gives no indication of her role in season 4.
Murray Bauman
![Stranger Things Murray Bauman](https://static1.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Stranger-Things-Murray-Bauman.jpg)
Hawkins’ lovable eclectic investigator Murray Bauman (Brett Gelman) is missing from Stranger Things season 4’s teased action. He was last seen helping shut down the Russians’ Upside Down machine, though like the other Stranger Things characters, probably hasn’t stopped researching the U.S. government’s role in covering up the Upside Down and Mind-Flayer.