David Harbour Explains Why He's Happy To Move Away From The Dad Role In Stranger Things Season 4

David Harbour as Jim Hopper in Stranger Things

The fourth season of Netflix’s Stranger Things is drumming up plenty of buzz, and fans are eagerly awaiting word on a release date. Plot details are also scarce at the moment, but while there’s no telling just what will be in store, we did just receive a little more info on the upcoming season. David Harbour is spilling some tea about his Chief Hopper and his dad role in Season 4.

David Harbour, has been careful when talking about the upcoming season of Stranger Things, but the actor isn't against dropping a nice tidbit or two once in a while. including the upcoming season. And during his recent appearance on That Scene With Dan Patrick, the actor hinted at how the character's status as a "dad figure" will change in Season 4. Here's what the actor had to say, exactly:

One of the interesting things about Hopper this season, although you do see a lot of that fatherly stuff is, I did want to take him back into the warrior realm, because there’s something as you get to be the dad role where, you know, it’s a bit like the dad gene. You start to become less of a viable presence in the world. They’re more like, ‘Oh, dad,’ like someone who people are humiliated by, and like, I’m not quite ready for that. I still want to be, like, a presence.

Although it’s always nice to see Hopper in that “dad” role (especially since his relationship with Eleven is a focal point of the show), it will be interesting to see what he’s going to be up to in Season 4 and how he will continue to evolve. Late last year, the Black Widow actor even teased what stories fans can look forward to next season, confirming that we’ll be getting into Hopper’s backstory a bit more.

Hopper has always been a beloved character on Stranger Things, and fans were appropriately heartbroken at the end of Season 3 when it looked as though Hopper would be meeting his demise. Thankfully, that mid-credits scene gave viewers a bit of hope. And of course, the teaser trailer later confirmed that Hopper is alive but not so well in Russia.

Following Hopper’s “resurrection” in Season 4, the character will be going through some things and definitely looking at life differently. Considering how things left off between Hopper and his allies in Hawkins, Indiana, his friends should be more than please to see him again. The cast was also excited that this wouldn’t be the last of Jim Hopper. Of course, fans have been theorizing how Hopper might reunite with the Hawkins gang, as getting him back to the states will be a challenge. It'll be exciting to find out how things pan out and, hopefully, we'll get some more news on Stranger Things Season 4 soon.

Up next: Questions We Need Answered In Stranger Things Season 4

Megan Behnke
Freelance TV News Writer

Passionate writer. Obsessed with anything and everything entertainment, specifically movies and television. Can get easily attached to fictional characters.