'Stranger Things' Season 4 cast list rules out Hopper's return

David Harbour may not be reprising his role as Chief Jim Hopper in "Stranger Things" Season 4. This seems to be the case if the cast list is enough to determine which among the characters are returning or not.

One of the biggest questions that Season 3 left its viewers to ponder is the fate of Chief Hopper. He is presumed dead from the explosion at Starcourt Mall. Then again, fans believe that he is alive and is being held captive at the Russians' prison base at Kamchatka. He is said to be the unknown American prisoner teased at the end-credits scene.

However, the character may not be returning in "Stranger Things" Season 4 if the IMDB cast list is anything to go by. Harbour's name did not appear among the actors set to reprise their respective roles. Instead, among the adult actors, only Winona Ryder's name is on the list. She will reprise Joyce Byers.

"Only one adult, Winona Ryder, is showing as a definite for season four," a fan pointed out on Reddit. Her credits include "Chapter One: The Hellfire Club" (2021), which is the title for "Stranger Things" Season 4 Episode 1.

The regular cast, Millie Bobby Brown, Caleb McLaughlin, Gaten Matarazzo, Noah Schnapp, Finn Wolfhard, and Sadie Sink, are confirmed to return based on the cast list. The same goes for Joe Keery (Steve Harrington), Natalia Dyer (Nancy Wheeler), Maya Hawke (Robin), and Charlie Heaton (Jonathan Byers).

"If you click on the episode guide on the right of each actor's name, the drop-down menu shows the first few episodes of 'Stranger Things' 4 for all the kids, including the older 'kids,'" the fan explained, and added, "Is it possible the show will be based entirely around the kids next time around, or are they trying to keep us guessing?"

Aside from Harbour's name, other adult actors not in the "Stranger Things" Season 4 cast list on IMDB include Brett Gelman ( Murray Bauman) and Cary Elwes (Mayor Larry Kline). They both played pivotal roles in Season 3. It is still too early to tell who among the other cast members in Season 3 are returning for "Stranger Things" Season 4. The cast list may not yet be updated.