There's a compelling theory that season 4 of Stranger Things will involve Chernobyl.

Warning: MAJOR spoilers ahead for Stranger Things season 3. If you haven’t watched it yet, bookmark this page and come back to it. You can thank us later.

It’s been almost two weeks since season 3 of Stranger Things dropped on Netflix, which of course means most fans have already devoured it in a couple of days and are trawling the internet for season 4 theories.

Honestly, can you blame us?

Watch the trailer for Stranger Things season 3 below. Post continues after video.

But while we’ve already cast our eyes over suggestions things may not be as they seem with regards to the untimely death of a certain beloved Hawaiian shirt-wearing Hawkins resident, this next theory is much, much spicier.

So spicy, in fact, it’s radioactive.

We’re talking about a Stranger Things-Chernobyl crossover, which sounds like the makings of a host of new hideous alien creatures, because Stranger Things hasn’t already gifted us enough potent nightmare fuel.

It also sounds like bloody great watching and we very much hope it happens.

The theory, courtesy of the sci-fi nerds of Reddit, predicts that the next season will take place around April 1986, which is of course when the Chernobyl disaster occurred. Seeing as the third season ended in October 1985, this would bring us six months down the line.

The thread, titled ‘I figured out season 4 and I hate myself for it,’ starts as follows:

“Post credit scene was in Russia. Chernobyl happened in Spring 1986.‬ How doctor Owens said that they use something familiar to convince the public to not look any further into the strange happenings. So did a nuclear reactor explode or did El have the greatest battle of her life?”

The clever theorist who goes by the username of Gamer_Nation, suggests a conspiracy behind the Chernobyl disaster – it either being caused by the Upside Down, in an epic battle involving Eleven, the Russians and some gnarly monsters, or fabricated in a government attempt to cover-up the strange occurrences in Hawkins.

So how much truth does this theory hold?

Well, we know getting the characters to the Soviet Union wouldn't be too difficult given the Russians have been able to open the gateway to the Upside Down.

We also know that the Duffer Brothers have already teased that season four will see the characters venture outside of Hawkins, Indiana.

And we of course know that the Chernobyl disaster – recently the subject of an acclaimed HBO miniseries – in which a power plant erupted with devastating consequence, is all very Stranger Things anyway, so it could be the perfect crossover waiting to happen.

In the comments, the conversation seems to support the compelling theory, with some adding that there were clues of such a crossover throughout the season.

One person commented: "Someone brought up the Chernobyl idea a couple days ago because Erica mentions that the Russians are cutting corners or something because they're not paid well," which leads to another rightly pointing out, "That's entirely possible. The show has a bunch of Easter egg comments."

But another came along to ruin all the fun with logic that we refuse to listen to: "Only retort I'd have to this is that Kamchatka (where the final scene happens) is on the complete opposite end of the country. I'm not saying they couldn't come up with something, but we're literally talking over 4,000 miles apart," they commented.

Whatever happens, we can only assume the particularly grotesque thing seen terrorising the imprisoned man in the eerie mid-credits sequence will be involved too.

But having said that, the Duffer Brothers probably don't even have the major plot points of season 4 set out yet, seeing as we haven't even seen a release date or announcement yet.

The possibilities are endless.

(If you're reading this, Duffer Brothers, a Chernobyl crossover is a big yes from us).