One of the most exciting experiences for an entertainment enthusiast is the arrival of a new season, a new show, or a new movie. This weekend, fans will be getting all three. With both the fourth season of Stranger Things and the new Star Wars series Obi-Wan Kenobi out on Friday, many fans – especially sci-fi lovers – are in for a treat. In addition, Top Gun: Maverick has just hit theatres, and is a sequel to the 80s classic. While Star Wars and Top Gun fans have likely been around for a little bit longer than the flurry of Stranger Things aficionados, all three productions have been long-awaited. After all, Stranger Things does take place in the 80s anyways, so we’ll give them that one. The comeback of the 80s continues to be a source for pop culture buzz with the arrival of these three shows and films, and is already creating excitement for fans on a global scale.
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Perhaps the most exciting thing about this new release is that both Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen are returning to play the same roles that many loved watching in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, playing Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, respectively. The six-episode series is now streaming on Disney+.
McGregor and Christensen are not the only prequel stars currently making a noise – Natalie Portman, who played Padmé Amidala alongside the other two, is starring in the upcoming movie Thor: Love and Thunder.
Obi-Wan Kenobi takes place about a decade after Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and about a decade before Star Wars: Episode IV — A New Hope.
Stranger Things (Season 4)
Almost three years after the release of season 3, fans finally have new Stranger Things content. While the show’s stars have aged since the last season in 2019, the events of the show itself take place less than a year after, with season 4 starting in the spring of 1986.
Season 4 has two volumes, with the first already streaming on Netflix, and the second coming out on July 1st. Volume 1 consists of seven episodes, and Volume 2 has two – but those two episodes will be considerably longer in time than a regular TV show episode.
The last time a new season came out, the Calgary Stampede had a Stranger Things themed “Hawkins Fun Fair”. While that probably won’t happen again this year, the hype for Stranger Things 4 will likely be no less, both locally and beyond.
Top Gun: Maverick
Revisiting the idea of past stars returning to iconic roles, Tom Cruise is most notably returning in Top Gun: Maverick as Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. Alongside Cruise, the film features Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Val Kilmer, and more. 36 years after the original, Top Gun: Maverick is back on the big screen and already attracting audiences from multiple generations.
This movie is just one of many that are coming out as we head into the summer. Jurassic World Dominion, Lightyear, and Minions: The Rise of Gru are among the variety of choices that moviegoers will have as summer break draws near. But for now, whether it’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, Stranger Things 4, or Top Gun: Maverick, the world of entertainment has much to enjoy.