Um, Hopper Is Very Much ALIVE In The First 'Stranger Things 4' Teaser

Stranger Things fans have been anxiously waiting to find out whether David Harbour's Jim Hopper survived the final Season 3 cliffhanger. As of Feb. 14, the fandom can collectively breath a sigh of relief. The first Stranger Things 4 teaser revealed he is very much alive. But there's one big question that remains: Where exactly is Hopper in the new season?

Netflix dropped the Season 4 teaser on Valentine's Day 2020, appropriately titled "From Russia With Love." The 50-second clip revealed not only is Hopper alive... he's in Russia. Along with the video, the show's creators and showrunners Matt and Ross Duffer confirmed production has officially started on the new season. They released the following message:

"We’re excited to officially confirm that production on Stranger Things 4 is now underway — and even more excited to announce the return of Hopper! Although it’s not all good news for our 'American'; he is imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, where he will face dangers both human... and other. Meanwhile, back in the states, a new horror is beginning to surface, something long buried, something that connects everything… Season 4 is shaping up to be the biggest and most frightening season yet, and we cannot wait for everyone to see more. In the meantime — pray for the American."

Check out the trailer:

At the end of Season 3, Hopper and Joyce fight the team of secret Russian government agents to close the gate between the Upside Down and the real world. Hopper ultimately sacrifices himself, and the characters believe he's gone for good. However, when the final episode ends, the credits start to roll and no music plays. Audiences are taken to Kamchatka, Russia (a real place on the country's eastern peninsula), where they see two soldiers walking through a jail. One says, "No, not the American."

The fans who were convinced the "American" in question was Hopper were right, but his fate might not be something worth celebrating.

Stranger Things Season 4 is expected to drop in late 2020 or 2021 on Netflix.