Renny Harlin's "The Strangers: Chapter 1" is the third film in the "Strangers" series, but is intended to be the first film in a new rebooted trilogy sporting a unique continuity. Not that "The Strangers" possessed a complicated mythology; each movie follows a trio of mute, masked killers -- perhaps a family -- who have made a sport of breaking into people's houses and torturing them for kicks. In the credits of "Chapter 1," the killers are credited only as Dollface, Pin-Up Girl, and Scarecrow (previously called The Man in the Mask). This time around, they are played by Olivia Kreutzova, Letizia Fabbri, and Matúš Lajčák, respectively.
The plot of "Chapter 1" is as simple as can be: A young city couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) is driving to Portland, Oregon when they get waylaid in a small town called Venus. Naturally, their car breaks down and they have to...
The plot of "Chapter 1" is as simple as can be: A young city couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) is driving to Portland, Oregon when they get waylaid in a small town called Venus. Naturally, their car breaks down and they have to...
- 5/22/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Warning: The following contains major spoilers for The Strangers, The Strangers: Prey At Night, and The Strangers: Chapter One.
Nothing sparks fear in the opening moments of a horror film like the words “based on actual events.” Many horror fans find comfort in reminding ourselves that “it’s just a movie,” but this ominous disclaimer smashes the illusion. Bryan Bertino’s landmark home invasion film, The Strangers, begins with a similar assertion, setting the stage for a night of pure terror. Ominous text delivers upsetting statistics of random crime before introducing us to the film’s victims.
Renny Harlin’s 2024 prequel The Strangers: Chapter One begins with a similar warning, but ups the ante by calculating the number of violent crimes that have occurred since the opening frame. It’s the perfect way to introduce stories designed to upend our collective understanding of personal safety.
Both films follow a trio...
Nothing sparks fear in the opening moments of a horror film like the words “based on actual events.” Many horror fans find comfort in reminding ourselves that “it’s just a movie,” but this ominous disclaimer smashes the illusion. Bryan Bertino’s landmark home invasion film, The Strangers, begins with a similar assertion, setting the stage for a night of pure terror. Ominous text delivers upsetting statistics of random crime before introducing us to the film’s victims.
Renny Harlin’s 2024 prequel The Strangers: Chapter One begins with a similar warning, but ups the ante by calculating the number of violent crimes that have occurred since the opening frame. It’s the perfect way to introduce stories designed to upend our collective understanding of personal safety.
Both films follow a trio...
- 5/22/2024
- by Jenn Adams
- bloody-disgusting.com
A violent and dangerous trio returns to theaters for the first time since 2018. The Strangers became a surprise franchise after a ten-year gap between the first two features. While 2008’s edition evolved into cult status, director Renny Harlin began formulating a plan. In conjunction with Lionsgate, Harlin brings The Strangers: Chapter 1 to theaters this weekend. As part of a filmed trilogy, the action and horror director has an opportunity to turn these characters into horror icons. Harlin brings his sense of style to the flick, which becomes a necessity. The first part of this new series primarily retells Bryan Bertino’s original story while grounding it firmly in the Pacific Northwest.
SUGGESTEDTop 7 Iconic Slashers and How Many Movies They Appear In The Strangers: Chapter 1 – Plot
A young couple, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) and Maya (Madeline Petsch), make their way to Portland for a job interview. As they do, they celebrate their fifth anniversary.
SUGGESTEDTop 7 Iconic Slashers and How Many Movies They Appear In The Strangers: Chapter 1 – Plot
A young couple, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) and Maya (Madeline Petsch), make their way to Portland for a job interview. As they do, they celebrate their fifth anniversary.
- 5/22/2024
- by Alan French
- FandomWire
Few directors reach the sort of stardom where their names are thrown on billboards. A Nolan or a Tarantino or a Peele become brands in and of themselves, while the other 99% bubble quietly under the surface; reliable journeymen, gallantly plugging away at the nuts and bolts of what used to be the mid-budget feature scene. These are the filmmakers who not only set the pace, but who change the very language of a genre too, consistently firing out exciting, crowd-pleasing, attention-grabbing stuff, year after year, decade after decade. Creative puppet masters living behind the scenes; their movies aren’t as stylistically loud, but their generation-spanning oeuvres are just as (if not more) legendary.
Don Siegel, J. Lee Thompson, Mary Lambert, Renny Harlin, Jonathan Demme, Doug Liman, John Frankenheimer – even just picking a handful of names at random gives you a who’s-who of filmmakers responsible for some of the most...
Don Siegel, J. Lee Thompson, Mary Lambert, Renny Harlin, Jonathan Demme, Doug Liman, John Frankenheimer – even just picking a handful of names at random gives you a who’s-who of filmmakers responsible for some of the most...
- 5/22/2024
- by Ben Robins
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Simon West is directing an action film that will see Aaron Eckhart step into the polished dress shoes of the President of the United States. More on Raider below.
Another day, another deliciously lucrative action film set in the Oval Office. This time, it’s Aaron Eckhart playing the President of the United States in Raider, a new film by director Simon West.
According to Deadline, Raider will follow Eckhart’s president who wins the election by a landslide, but discovers that the White has been controlled by a shadow organisation. Danny Huston plays the head of the Secret Service and Eckhart’s president has no intention of complying with their demands. Instead, he begins to investigate the clues left by previous presidents in order to not just free his family, but the whole country.
“Our lead is a classy and honorable man who puts country first, despite the risks and impossible odds.
Another day, another deliciously lucrative action film set in the Oval Office. This time, it’s Aaron Eckhart playing the President of the United States in Raider, a new film by director Simon West.
According to Deadline, Raider will follow Eckhart’s president who wins the election by a landslide, but discovers that the White has been controlled by a shadow organisation. Danny Huston plays the head of the Secret Service and Eckhart’s president has no intention of complying with their demands. Instead, he begins to investigate the clues left by previous presidents in order to not just free his family, but the whole country.
“Our lead is a classy and honorable man who puts country first, despite the risks and impossible odds.
- 5/21/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Stars: Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Rachel Shenton, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath | Written by Alan R. Cohen, Alan Freedland | Directed by Renny Harlin
Young couple Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) are on their way to Portland, Oregon in order for Maya to attend a job interview. When they need to stop following a near-miss car accident, they end up in the small town of Venus, where the spotlight is clearly on them for being the odd ones out. Staying in a woodland Airbnb while waiting for their car to get fixed, the pair are soon tormented by three ominously masked figures.
That, my friends, is absolutely all you need to know about The Strangers: Chapter 1. Or if you do venture out to see it (please don’t), this is likely all you’ll remember. What is set to be a horror threequel is already unable to answer why two...
Young couple Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) are on their way to Portland, Oregon in order for Maya to attend a job interview. When they need to stop following a near-miss car accident, they end up in the small town of Venus, where the spotlight is clearly on them for being the odd ones out. Staying in a woodland Airbnb while waiting for their car to get fixed, the pair are soon tormented by three ominously masked figures.
That, my friends, is absolutely all you need to know about The Strangers: Chapter 1. Or if you do venture out to see it (please don’t), this is likely all you’ll remember. What is set to be a horror threequel is already unable to answer why two...
- 5/21/2024
- by Jasmine Valentine
- Nerdly
The bar wasn’t very high to clear, but Lionsgate’s The Strangers: Chapter 1 did manage to break a box office record here in 2024, achieving the highest opening weekend at the domestic box office out of any horror movie released this year… so far. This despite largely negative reviews, once again proving that the horror genre is as review-proof as it comes.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 debuted with $11.83M at the domestic box office in 2,856 locations, just barely topping Blumhouse’s Night Swim to rip the crown off the top of its head.
Here’s the full lineup of domestic opening weekends for horror this year…
The Strangers: Chapter 1 – $11.8 million Night Swim – $11.7 million Abigail – $10.2 million Imaginary – $9.9 million The First Omen – $8.3 million Tarot – $6.5 million Immaculate – $5.3 million Lisa Frankenstein – $3.6 million
For further context and comparison, 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night opened to $10.4 million before making $31 million worldwide, a number Chapter 1 may eventually reach.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 debuted with $11.83M at the domestic box office in 2,856 locations, just barely topping Blumhouse’s Night Swim to rip the crown off the top of its head.
Here’s the full lineup of domestic opening weekends for horror this year…
The Strangers: Chapter 1 – $11.8 million Night Swim – $11.7 million Abigail – $10.2 million Imaginary – $9.9 million The First Omen – $8.3 million Tarot – $6.5 million Immaculate – $5.3 million Lisa Frankenstein – $3.6 million
For further context and comparison, 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night opened to $10.4 million before making $31 million worldwide, a number Chapter 1 may eventually reach.
- 5/20/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Not to sound like a broken record but it was yet another brutal weekend at the box office as May rolls right along. Director John Krasinski's big-budget, family-friendly flick "If" topped the charts with a worse-than-expected opening. Theaters are desperate for a breakout hit given the relatively lackluster performances of other films like "The Fall Guy" in the early going. But, as has been the case so many times in the pandemic era, horror came to the rescue — sort of. Lionsgate's "The Strangers: Chapter 1" had a solid debut, but not so much that it can make up for what was lacking elsewhere. It was also an iffy start for a film that is launching an entire trilogy.
Director Renny Harlin's new take on "The Strangers" (the first part of it anyway) opened to an estimated $12 million domestically, placing at number three on the charts behind "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes...
Director Renny Harlin's new take on "The Strangers" (the first part of it anyway) opened to an estimated $12 million domestically, placing at number three on the charts behind "Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes...
- 5/20/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
In the diverse field of sci-fi horror, the Alien franchise stands as a cornerstone. A film series that launched the genre’s popularity to its greatest heights. The space horror production was established by the renowned director Ridley Scott back in 1979, when the first movie came out. Since then, the murderous ETs have been handled by various auteurs, from James Cameron to David Fincher. Finnish director Renny Harlin once was painfully close to joining that list.
Sigourney Weaver in Alien |20th Century Studios
The Strangers: Chapter 1 director once had a chance to direct the third installment in the Alien filmology. But destiny had other plans for Harlin, who had to part ways with the project after desperately trying to convince 20th Century Studios of his vision for the film and failing.
Harlin’s plans would have steered the franchise back to its horror roots as opposed to more sci-fi as seen in later films.
Sigourney Weaver in Alien |20th Century Studios
The Strangers: Chapter 1 director once had a chance to direct the third installment in the Alien filmology. But destiny had other plans for Harlin, who had to part ways with the project after desperately trying to convince 20th Century Studios of his vision for the film and failing.
Harlin’s plans would have steered the franchise back to its horror roots as opposed to more sci-fi as seen in later films.
- 5/20/2024
- by Sayantan Choudhary
- FandomWire
Worldwide box office May 17-19 RankFilm (distributor)3-day (world)Cume (world)3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l)Territories 1. Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (Disney) $66.6m $237.5m $40.6m $136.3m 53 2. If (Paramount) $55m $59m $20m $24m 59 3. The Fall Guy (Universal) $15.6m $127.6m $7.2m $64.6m 82 4. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (Lionsgate) $13.7m $13.7m $1.7m $1.7m 14 5. The Garfield Movie (Sony) $10.3m $49m $10.3m $49m 27 6. Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In (various) $8m $77m $8m $77m 5 7. Tarot (Sony) $7m $29.9m $5m $14.5m 53 8. Un P’tit Truc En Plus (Pandis) $6.8m $25.9m $6.8m $25.9m 1 9. The Last Frenzy (various) $6.6m $78.4m $6.6m $78.4m 3 10. Hovering Blade (various) $5.6m $5.7m $5.6m $5.7m 2
Credit: Comscore.
Credit: Comscore.
- 5/19/2024
- ScreenDaily
Worldwide box office May 17-19 RankFilm (distributor)3-day (world)Cume (world)3-day (int’l)Cume (int’l)Territories 1. Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes (Disney) $66.6m $237.5m $40.6m $136.3m 53 2. If (Paramount) $55m $59m $20m $24m 59 3. The Fall Guy (Universal) $15.6m $127.6m $7.2m $64.6m 82 4. The Strangers: Chapter 1 (Lionsgate) $13.7m $13.7m $1.7m $1.7m 14 5. The Garfield Movie (Sony) $10.3m $49m $10.3m $49m 27 6. Twilight Of The Warriors: Walled In (various) $8m $77m $8m $77m 5 7. Tarot (Sony) $7m $29.9m $5m $14.5m 53 8. Un P’tit Truc En Plus (Pandis) $6.8m $25.9m $6.8m $25.9m 1 9. The Last Frenzy (various) $6.6m $78.4m $6.6m $78.4m 3 10. Hovering Blade (various) $5.6m $5.7m $5.6m $5.7m 2
Credit: Comscore.
Credit: Comscore.
- 5/19/2024
- ScreenDaily
The name Renny Harlin must ring some bells in everyone’s mind. The director has carved out a niche for himself over the years, delivering blockbusters like Diehard 2, Nightmare on Elm Street 4 and Exorcist: The Beginning. These films have made him a household name over the years. His new release, The Strangers: Chapter 1 looks all set to have cemented his spot as one of the leaders of the industry. And he is looking to carry forward the legacy.
Renny Harlin knows how to turn things around
Renny Harlin infused Nightmare on Elm Street 4 with new energy l Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Renny Harlin is known, more than anything, for his penchant to step in when a franchise seems to be down in the doldrums. He has rescued many a franchises from eminent decays and oversee their redemption. And all of this becomes possible only because of the risks he is willing to take.
Renny Harlin knows how to turn things around
Renny Harlin infused Nightmare on Elm Street 4 with new energy l Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Renny Harlin is known, more than anything, for his penchant to step in when a franchise seems to be down in the doldrums. He has rescued many a franchises from eminent decays and oversee their redemption. And all of this becomes possible only because of the risks he is willing to take.
- 5/19/2024
- by Smriti Sneh
- FandomWire
“If” (Paramount) may have fallen short of its anticipated $40 million opening, but the glass is at least half-full. Preview and initial numbers suggested it could end up around $28 million; instead, its initial estimate is $35 million.
That improvement, along with its A Cinemascore, suggests a film that could stick around. It would be a real boost for the cause of original non-franchise production. Domestic on “If” is better than foreign, which stands at $24 million, $20 million from this weekend. That puts it at $59 million worldwide.
The full weekend is projected to hit $99 million. If that becomes $100 million, it would mark the first time since Easter. By comparison, 2023 saw every weekend from April 7 through mid-August hit that level. In 2019, with significantly lower ticket prices, that was the case from post-Super Bowl through Labor Day.
‘The Fall Guy’©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Any positive news is welcome. We are three weeks into summer playtime...
That improvement, along with its A Cinemascore, suggests a film that could stick around. It would be a real boost for the cause of original non-franchise production. Domestic on “If” is better than foreign, which stands at $24 million, $20 million from this weekend. That puts it at $59 million worldwide.
The full weekend is projected to hit $99 million. If that becomes $100 million, it would mark the first time since Easter. By comparison, 2023 saw every weekend from April 7 through mid-August hit that level. In 2019, with significantly lower ticket prices, that was the case from post-Super Bowl through Labor Day.
‘The Fall Guy’©Universal/Courtesy Everett Collection
Any positive news is welcome. We are three weeks into summer playtime...
- 5/19/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The summer box office is supposed to be the time of year when popular movies can flourish, but this May has not been an ideal start to the season, with another highly anticipated film falling below expectations. Read on for the weekend box office report.
With the general lack of family films in theaters — allowing movies like “Kung Fu Panda 4” and even “Godzilla x Kong” to do very well — Paramount Pictures had very high hopes for John Krasinski‘s “If,” opening it in 4,041 theaters nationwide. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming (with Krasinski in a small role as the latter’s father), the movie received poor to mixed reviews with just 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics not having been swayed by the film’s sweet family-friendly sentimentality.
SEEKevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ gets epic new trailer [Watch]
“If” only made $1.8 million in previews, which were pulled into its opening Friday number of $10.3 million.
With the general lack of family films in theaters — allowing movies like “Kung Fu Panda 4” and even “Godzilla x Kong” to do very well — Paramount Pictures had very high hopes for John Krasinski‘s “If,” opening it in 4,041 theaters nationwide. Starring Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming (with Krasinski in a small role as the latter’s father), the movie received poor to mixed reviews with just 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, critics not having been swayed by the film’s sweet family-friendly sentimentality.
SEEKevin Costner’s ‘Horizon’ gets epic new trailer [Watch]
“If” only made $1.8 million in previews, which were pulled into its opening Friday number of $10.3 million.
- 5/19/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Yesterday, it looked like John Krasinski’s If would fall wildly short of industry exceptions, with the film initially tracking for a $40 million opening. While the final $35 million start marks a significant shortfall, the weekend matinees have been stronger than expected for this poorly reviewed family film. It did about $5 million more this weekend than I predicted. Many will undoubtedly view this as a poor start for a pretty expensive ($110 million) studio film, but there’s reason to be optimistic that the movie will have legs. The film has scored a superb A CinemaScore rating, which means that even if critics (such as myself) hated it, paying audiences like it. The star-studded flick includes Ryan Reynolds and Krasinski himself in front of the camera, while Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller Bride, Emily Blunt and more play the voices of the titular IFs (imaginary friends).
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes...
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes...
- 5/19/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Sixteen years after shocking moviegoers with random acts of violence in Bryan Bertino's The Strangers, the trio of masked murderers are slicing back onto the big screen in Lionsgate's The Strangers – Chapter 1, the first installment of a new trilogy of terror.
Daily Dead was thrilled and chilled to attend the world premiere of The Strangers – Chapter 1 in Los Angeles, and we have highlights from my spoiler-free red carpet conversations with the cast and crew as well as some special guests who showed up at the premiere, including Kel Mitchell (Good Burger 2) and Zaria (Pretty Little Liars: Summer School)!
Below, you can check out the highlights and photos from the red carpet that featured an impressive replication of the cabin from the movie as well as a few familiar masked faces that were observing the proceedings... And in case you missed it, go here to catch up on...
Daily Dead was thrilled and chilled to attend the world premiere of The Strangers – Chapter 1 in Los Angeles, and we have highlights from my spoiler-free red carpet conversations with the cast and crew as well as some special guests who showed up at the premiere, including Kel Mitchell (Good Burger 2) and Zaria (Pretty Little Liars: Summer School)!
Below, you can check out the highlights and photos from the red carpet that featured an impressive replication of the cabin from the movie as well as a few familiar masked faces that were observing the proceedings... And in case you missed it, go here to catch up on...
- 5/18/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The first instalment in a new Strangers trilogy arrives in theaters this weekend, and the reviews have been pretty merciless so far, with one critic going so far as to call the home invasion slasher "one of the worst" horror films they've ever seen.
With 53 verdict counted, The Strangers: Chapter 1 currently sits at an abysmal 13% on Rotten Tomatoes.
We're not sure why anyone would have been expecting very much from this after what might honestly go down as the worst trailer of the year (see below), but it's fair to say the majority of critics were less than enthusiastic about what sounds like a beat-by-beat rehash of the original.
Check out some reactions below.
The Strangers Chapter 1 might be one of the worst horror remakes I’ve seen in a long time.
Boring, uninventive, and painfully sterilized. Really makes you wonder why bother remaking this movie if you’re just...
With 53 verdict counted, The Strangers: Chapter 1 currently sits at an abysmal 13% on Rotten Tomatoes.
We're not sure why anyone would have been expecting very much from this after what might honestly go down as the worst trailer of the year (see below), but it's fair to say the majority of critics were less than enthusiastic about what sounds like a beat-by-beat rehash of the original.
Check out some reactions below.
The Strangers Chapter 1 might be one of the worst horror remakes I’ve seen in a long time.
Boring, uninventive, and painfully sterilized. Really makes you wonder why bother remaking this movie if you’re just...
- 5/18/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
As we predicted earlier this week, the industry box office forecasts suggesting John Krasinski’s If was going to open in the $40 million range were way off base. In my report, I figured the movie would be lucky to open with $30 million, and indeed, Deadline is reporting that’s the exact figure the movie is looking after a softer-than-expected Friday. The poor reviews (including one from me) aren’t doing Krasinski’s ambitious family film any favours. While it’s packed with stars, including Ryan Reynolds and Krasinski himself in front of the camera, and people like Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Emily Blunt and more doing voices, the movie just isn’t connecting with the family audience. It’s looking to open only marginally better than The Fall Guy, which is already being consigned by Universal to VOD.
However, Renny Harlin’s The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first film in his already-shot trilogy,...
However, Renny Harlin’s The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first film in his already-shot trilogy,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Paramount’s family comedy “If” is leading domestic charts in its opening after earning $10.3 million from 4,041 locations across Friday and preview screenings. But the John Krasinski-directed fantasy feature has decidedly fallen behind its projections heading into the weekend, which had originally forecast a debut around $40 million. The film is now looking to finish closer to $31.5 million.
It’s a marked underperformance for the PG-rated family film, which sports a substantial $110 million production budget. Reviews have been mediocre, but the public’s sentiment is much more positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score turning in a glowing “A” grade from the first group of ticket buyers. That seal of approval could mark some salvation for “If,” which will have to keep drawing in families as schools let out for summer to justify its price tag. Paramount will face competition for younger viewers when Sony’s animated “The Garfield Movie” hits theaters next weekend though.
It’s a marked underperformance for the PG-rated family film, which sports a substantial $110 million production budget. Reviews have been mediocre, but the public’s sentiment is much more positive with audience survey firm Cinema Score turning in a glowing “A” grade from the first group of ticket buyers. That seal of approval could mark some salvation for “If,” which will have to keep drawing in families as schools let out for summer to justify its price tag. Paramount will face competition for younger viewers when Sony’s animated “The Garfield Movie” hits theaters next weekend though.
- 5/18/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Kiefer Sutherland is set to star in action thriller Sierra Madre.
The story centers on Sutherland’s Captain Jordan Wright and his squadron, who are granted leave from their mission to attend a crewmate’s wedding in Mexico. While there, festivities are interrupted by a murderous cartel, and, as Jordan attempts to lead his remaining men to safety, war breaks out between his squad and the cartel. Jordan has to engage in a full-scale battle to save his men.
The project, which is being sold out of the Cannes film market by Highland Film Group, is set to be directed by Justin Chadwick from a script by and Delbert Hancock and The Grey writer Ian Mackenzie Jeffers. Production is due to start this fall in Colombia, with Robert Stein (The Call), James Keach (Walk the Line) and Griff Furst (Devil’s Peak) producing.
Highland Film Group is co-financing the action thriller and handling worldwide rights,...
The story centers on Sutherland’s Captain Jordan Wright and his squadron, who are granted leave from their mission to attend a crewmate’s wedding in Mexico. While there, festivities are interrupted by a murderous cartel, and, as Jordan attempts to lead his remaining men to safety, war breaks out between his squad and the cartel. Jordan has to engage in a full-scale battle to save his men.
The project, which is being sold out of the Cannes film market by Highland Film Group, is set to be directed by Justin Chadwick from a script by and Delbert Hancock and The Grey writer Ian Mackenzie Jeffers. Production is due to start this fall in Colombia, with Robert Stein (The Call), James Keach (Walk the Line) and Griff Furst (Devil’s Peak) producing.
Highland Film Group is co-financing the action thriller and handling worldwide rights,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Sixteen years after Bryan Bertino's The Strangers shocked moviegoers, Lionsgate is reintroducing moviegoers to Dollface, Pin-Up Girl, and Scarecrow in The Strangers – Chapter 1, the first film in a new trilogy that brings the movie's masked murderers back to the big screen as they stalk a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) spending the night at a secluded cabin in the woods. Ahead of the film's world premiere in Los Angeles last week, Daily Dead had the chance to talk with lead actors Madelaine Petsch (who is also one of the film's executive producers) and Froy Gutierrez about what attracted them to playing their respective characters, developing a realistic chemistry in a short amount of time, and working with legendary director Renny Harlin.
You can watch our full video interview with Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez, which got crashed by some familiar frightening faces, and you can also see my eerie interaction with Dollface,...
You can watch our full video interview with Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez, which got crashed by some familiar frightening faces, and you can also see my eerie interaction with Dollface,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Here on the Arrow in the Head horror side of the JoBlo Network, we feel that the best way to start the weekend is by kicking back on a Friday evening to watch and discuss some horror entertainment – and that’s why Tonight at 8 Pm Eastern/5 Pm Pacific, we’re launching the second episode of our first horror live stream on the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel! The channel link is Here, and the specific link for the live stream is This One. We’re calling the livestream Friday Night Frights, and it’s just the second episode of what should be a great new series!
The Friday Night Frights stream will be hosted by Tyler Nichols, and during this livestream, Tyler will be talking about an amazing trip he took to Los Angeles last week, where he got to attend the world premiere of Renny Harlin’s The Strangers:...
The Friday Night Frights stream will be hosted by Tyler Nichols, and during this livestream, Tyler will be talking about an amazing trip he took to Los Angeles last week, where he got to attend the world premiere of Renny Harlin’s The Strangers:...
- 5/17/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Nearly 16 years after Bryan Bertino's The Strangers shocked moviegoers, the movie's masked murderers are slicing their way back onto the big screen this week with Lionsgate's release of The Strangers – Chapter 1, the first film in a new trilogy within The Strangers franchise. Ahead of the film's world premiere in Los Angeles last week, Daily Dead had the chance to talk with legendary director Renny Harlin about bringing his own personal style to The Strangers franchise, building tension through tense close-ups and foreboding wide shots, keeping audiences on edge, and more!
You can watch our full video interview with Renny Harlin below, and go here to catch up on all of our coverage of The Strangers – Chapter 1!
Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland (and based on The Strangers written by Bryan Bertino), The Strangers: Chapter 1 stars Madelaine Petsch (who is also...
You can watch our full video interview with Renny Harlin below, and go here to catch up on all of our coverage of The Strangers – Chapter 1!
Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland (and based on The Strangers written by Bryan Bertino), The Strangers: Chapter 1 stars Madelaine Petsch (who is also...
- 5/17/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
"Alien 3" remains a fascinating entry within one of sci-fi's most enduring franchises. While both Ridley Scott's original "Alien" and James Cameron's "Aliens" remain unimpeachable classics, the third entry is a bit more divisive. It was director David Fincher's feature debut and the end result is a bit messy, in no small part thanks to studio interference. The version we got sees Sigourney Weaver's Ripley in a space prison, once again facing off against a Xenomorph. But director Renny Harlin, of "Deep Blue Sea" and "Cliffhanger" fame, had a radically different idea for the film when he was attached, and sadly, that version never came to fruition.
"I always thought that I had a good idea," Harlin said recently in an interview with /Film's Jacob Hall in honor of his upcoming film "The Strangers: Chapter 1," which is the first part of a whole new trilogy.
"I always thought that I had a good idea," Harlin said recently in an interview with /Film's Jacob Hall in honor of his upcoming film "The Strangers: Chapter 1," which is the first part of a whole new trilogy.
- 5/17/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
If you’ve ever wondered what a horror classic would look like as a ‘Lifetime’ movie, wonder no more! The Strangers: Chapter 1 (2024), directed by Renny Harlin, attempts to reboot Bryan Bertino’s original 2008 nightmare, but ends up delivering a bland, repetitive version that lacks the harrowing bite of its predecessor.
“…lacks the harrowing bite of its predecessor.”
The plot follows Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and her boyfriend Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), who are on a road trip to start a new life in the Pacific Northwest, or something. Their journey comes to an abrupt halt when their car breaks down in the small town of Venus, Oregon. They’re forced to spend the night in an isolated Airbnb, a hunting cabin at the edge of town, where three masked psychopaths decide to pay them an unwelcome visit.
The film’s biggest fault is that it meanders through a story audiences have already seen.
“…lacks the harrowing bite of its predecessor.”
The plot follows Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and her boyfriend Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), who are on a road trip to start a new life in the Pacific Northwest, or something. Their journey comes to an abrupt halt when their car breaks down in the small town of Venus, Oregon. They’re forced to spend the night in an isolated Airbnb, a hunting cabin at the edge of town, where three masked psychopaths decide to pay them an unwelcome visit.
The film’s biggest fault is that it meanders through a story audiences have already seen.
- 5/17/2024
- by Kimberley Elizabeth
Those lamenting the dearth of originality in films in this epoch of remakes/reboots/reimaginings/requels, etc find no challenge to their despair in Renny Harlin’s The Strangers: Chapter 1. The first of a planned – and already completed – trilogy of films intended to expand and deepen the world of The Strangers, Chapter 1 brazenly cribs from the first film while somehow also fundamentally misunderstanding what made it cultural touchstone for horror fans in 2008. Yes, it’s a remake, but it’s closer to Gus Van Sant’s Psycho than John Carpenter’s The Thing, with less to recommend it than either of those. The disappointment runs deep, leading to the question that everyone, both on screen and off, will be asking, why are you doing this? A thirty-something couple...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...
- 5/17/2024
- Screen Anarchy
Do you remember where you were 25 years ago when Samuel L. Jackson's character in "Deep Blue Sea" was shockingly eaten by a shark in the middle of his impassioned speech? I unfortunately didn't see it in theaters, but when I rented the DVD from Blockbuster, I remember practically leaping off my couch when that big moment happened. It's one of the most surprising movie moments of the past 30 years -- and not only was that jaw-dropping plot beat not in the original script, but once it made its way into the movie, Warner Bros. wanted to use it in the trailers. Thankfully, director Renny Harlin put his foot down and won that fight against the studio.
Timed to the release of his new film, "The Strangers: Chapter 1," we spoke with Harlin in a career-spanning interview, and naturally, we had to ask about the big "Deep Blue Sea" death, the most memorable imagery from his chaotic,...
Timed to the release of his new film, "The Strangers: Chapter 1," we spoke with Harlin in a career-spanning interview, and naturally, we had to ask about the big "Deep Blue Sea" death, the most memorable imagery from his chaotic,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
The Strangers. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate; © 2023 Lionsgate Director Renny Harlin’s latest project was a massive undertaking: shooting three prequels to 2008’s The Strangers simultaneously. The first, Chapter 1, has just been released, with the second expected to hit theaters later this year. Harlin, who’s had plenty of experience in the horror genre, including films in the Exorcist and Nightmare on Elm Street franchises, spoke about how he wanted to scare people with the Strangers movies. (Click on the media bar below to hear Renny Harlin) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Renny_-Harlin_-Presice-The_Strangers_Part_1_.mp3
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is now playing in theaters.
The post Renny Harlin Goes For ‘Real’ Fright In New ‘Strangers’ Prequels appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is now playing in theaters.
The post Renny Harlin Goes For ‘Real’ Fright In New ‘Strangers’ Prequels appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 5/17/2024
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Family films can be a big money maker if the movie is an all-quadrant pleaser. John Krasinski has stated that he wanted his new movie, If, to bring audiences back to the Amblin-like days of wonder when filmmakers like Steven Spielberg unlocked people’s imaginations. The box office predictions from our own Chris Bumbray had placed the movie to only open at $30 million. Family audiences are likely to be split between this and Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which should be a strong second with around $28 million. Although, his A Quiet Place prequel will likely make a lot more money at the box office this summer.
As the weekend starts, Deadline has reported that the Thursday night preview figures that If imagined would ultimately total at $1.75 million from screenings that started at 4 Pm. It is noted, however, that original, live-action PG-rated family films are more rare nowadays and...
As the weekend starts, Deadline has reported that the Thursday night preview figures that If imagined would ultimately total at $1.75 million from screenings that started at 4 Pm. It is noted, however, that original, live-action PG-rated family films are more rare nowadays and...
- 5/17/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
When the trailer for "The Strangers: Chapter 1" first dropped, fans were introduced to a new couple in a new setting, but the same ol' scary masked killers wreaking havoc simply because "you were home." Well, in the case of the new film, it's because "you were here," but there's no need to split hairs. As is the case with the existing two films in the "Strangers" series, the chaos begins when a mysterious young woman shows up unannounced asking if Tamara is home, the ringing death knell of all "Strangers" stories. From there, all hell breaks loose, set wonderfully to "Trouble" by Cage the Elephant, with an expertly placed repeat of "Oohs" that turns this alternative/indie hit into something that sounds far more sinister.
With a shockingly low track record at the box office so far, "The Strangers: Chapter 1" has the potential to be the first true...
With a shockingly low track record at the box office so far, "The Strangers: Chapter 1" has the potential to be the first true...
- 5/17/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Writer-director John Krasinski‘s original family film IF has started off its box office run with $1.8 million in Thursday previews.
The fantasy pic, headlining Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming alongside an A-list voice cast, explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
The live-action/CGI animated Paramount pic is tracking for a domestic debut in the $40 million range from more than 4,000 theaters, but the family marketplace continues to struggle in the post-pandemic era. Nor is original fare an easy proposition. It’s hard to read too much into Thursday previews since families don’t start turning out in earnest until Friday and Saturday, generally speaking, although some exhibitors are worried the movie could have a hard time getting to $40 million based on presales, according to sources.
Reviews aren’t so great — If...
The fantasy pic, headlining Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming alongside an A-list voice cast, explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
The live-action/CGI animated Paramount pic is tracking for a domestic debut in the $40 million range from more than 4,000 theaters, but the family marketplace continues to struggle in the post-pandemic era. Nor is original fare an easy proposition. It’s hard to read too much into Thursday previews since families don’t start turning out in earnest until Friday and Saturday, generally speaking, although some exhibitors are worried the movie could have a hard time getting to $40 million based on presales, according to sources.
Reviews aren’t so great — If...
- 5/17/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Back in the Old Days, sequels and franchises used to be anathema in Hollywood. The conventional wisdom was that no audience wanted to see more of a story that had already reached its conclusion, and that a "part two" or more didn't make as much money at the box office as an original work did.
Except, that is, within the horror genre. Universal Pictures discovered pretty early on in cinema's history that audiences would be down with seeing their spooky pals on screen as much as possible, and thus Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and others made return visits in the '30s and '40s. However, each of these sequels sought to be as unique as possible, with very few merely rehashing what had come before, and the concept of continuity or lore was essentially tossed aside at will.
Now we live in a cinematic age where IP rules the day,...
Except, that is, within the horror genre. Universal Pictures discovered pretty early on in cinema's history that audiences would be down with seeing their spooky pals on screen as much as possible, and thus Dracula, Frankenstein, the Wolf Man, and others made return visits in the '30s and '40s. However, each of these sequels sought to be as unique as possible, with very few merely rehashing what had come before, and the concept of continuity or lore was essentially tossed aside at will.
Now we live in a cinematic age where IP rules the day,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Ascended rock deity David Bowie appeared on TV and in movies as early as 1968, only shortly after the release of his first record. His first leading performance came in 1972 with the release of Nicolas Roeg's sci-fi satire "The Man Who Fell to Earth," a film about an alien who comes to Earth and becomes distracted by drugs, TV, and other unhealthy creature comforts. Bowie later played himself in Uli Edel's harrowing 1981 J.D. flick "Christiane F.," in addition to starring in the smoky vampire film "The Hunger" and terse Pow drama "Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence." A younger generation fell in love with Bowie because of 1986's puppet film "Labyrinth," while he was cleverly cast as Pontius Pilate in Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ."
In 1993, when director Renny Harlin was preparing to make his mountainside actioner and Sylvester Stallone vehicle "Cliffhanger," he very much wanted Bowie to play the film's villain.
In 1993, when director Renny Harlin was preparing to make his mountainside actioner and Sylvester Stallone vehicle "Cliffhanger," he very much wanted Bowie to play the film's villain.
- 5/17/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Director Renny Harlin has made some of your favorite movies. He's also made some total stinkers. And the beauty of speaking to the filmmaker -- who has carved out a unique niche across horror and action cinema for past four decades -- is that he's completely aware of it. Here is a director who has been around long enough, who has seen every facet of the filmmaking machine from all possible angles, that he's willing to be straight-up honest about it. Like anyone with a filmography this large (and this wild), he has stories to share.
When I sat down with Harlin over Zoom to chat about his new movie, the horror reboot "The Strangers: Chapter 1," I hoped we could talk about his entire filmography. But 30 jam-packed minutes later, my time was up, and the sheer number of noteworthy movies we didn't get to was astonishing. But we did...
When I sat down with Harlin over Zoom to chat about his new movie, the horror reboot "The Strangers: Chapter 1," I hoped we could talk about his entire filmography. But 30 jam-packed minutes later, my time was up, and the sheer number of noteworthy movies we didn't get to was astonishing. But we did...
- 5/17/2024
- by Jacob Hall
- Slash Film
In 2008, The Strangers surprised many outside the horror community. The very straightforward home invasion movie featured a couple of stars and quickly turned a big profit. However, the middling success of the 2018 sequel left many cold. Despite this, The Strangers: Chapter 1 debuts in theaters nationwide this weekend.
Years after the original movie, director Renny Harlin takes over the stalking movies, announcing a trilogy of new films. By more than doubling the existing movies in the franchise, Harlin becomes one of the de facto voices in defining the property. With the trilogy already filmed, some may ask if there’s going to be a teaser for The Strangers: Chapter 2. The answer is an unequivocal yes.
Suggested“I hope they don’t…”: Cliffhanger Director Has One Request for Sylvester Stallone Sequel 31 Years Later What Happens in The Strangers: Chapter 1 post-credit?
After the traumatic events of The Strangers: Chapter 1, Maya...
Years after the original movie, director Renny Harlin takes over the stalking movies, announcing a trilogy of new films. By more than doubling the existing movies in the franchise, Harlin becomes one of the de facto voices in defining the property. With the trilogy already filmed, some may ask if there’s going to be a teaser for The Strangers: Chapter 2. The answer is an unequivocal yes.
Suggested“I hope they don’t…”: Cliffhanger Director Has One Request for Sylvester Stallone Sequel 31 Years Later What Happens in The Strangers: Chapter 1 post-credit?
After the traumatic events of The Strangers: Chapter 1, Maya...
- 5/17/2024
- by Alan French
- FandomWire
This article contains major spoilers for "The Strangers: Chapter 1."
The horror genre is no stranger (pun intended) to creatures returning from the dead. After "The Bride of Frankenstein" brought back the Monster in 1935, no major cinematic horror character has lain dormant for too long, with even the unlikeliest of beasties or killers coming back for at least a second go-round or more.
The villains of 2008's "The Strangers" count as one of those unlikely killers, though not because they're difficult to sequelize. On the contrary, the very ethos of the Strangers — that being they kill "because you were home" — is incredibly open-ended and ripe for exploration and expansion in further films. Yet therein lies the rub, as they say, for a large part of what makes "The Strangers" so terrifying is that it's a home invasion movie where absolutely no rationale is given for the tragic fates suffered by the...
The horror genre is no stranger (pun intended) to creatures returning from the dead. After "The Bride of Frankenstein" brought back the Monster in 1935, no major cinematic horror character has lain dormant for too long, with even the unlikeliest of beasties or killers coming back for at least a second go-round or more.
The villains of 2008's "The Strangers" count as one of those unlikely killers, though not because they're difficult to sequelize. On the contrary, the very ethos of the Strangers — that being they kill "because you were home" — is incredibly open-ended and ripe for exploration and expansion in further films. Yet therein lies the rub, as they say, for a large part of what makes "The Strangers" so terrifying is that it's a home invasion movie where absolutely no rationale is given for the tragic fates suffered by the...
- 5/17/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
After four decades of filmmaking, Renny Harlin isn’t slowing down in the slightest. The journeyman director, who’s most known for Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, Deep Blue Sea and A Nightmare on Elm Street 4, is back on the big screen with The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first film in a trilogy that he’s already shot across 52 days in Slovakia.
Chapter 1 stays true to Bryan Bertino’s 2008 horror classic, The Strangers, only it imagines a scenario where an analogue for Liv Tyler’s character definitively survives the central home invasion, setting up Chapter Two and Three. Madelaine Petsch’s Maya is now filling that protagonist role, as her cross-country road trip to Portland results in her and her boyfriend (Froy Gutierrez’s Ryan) having to stay at a small town Airbnb due to car trouble. That’s when the Strangers crawl out of the woodwork to play their patented cat-and-mouse game.
Chapter 1 stays true to Bryan Bertino’s 2008 horror classic, The Strangers, only it imagines a scenario where an analogue for Liv Tyler’s character definitively survives the central home invasion, setting up Chapter Two and Three. Madelaine Petsch’s Maya is now filling that protagonist role, as her cross-country road trip to Portland results in her and her boyfriend (Froy Gutierrez’s Ryan) having to stay at a small town Airbnb due to car trouble. That’s when the Strangers crawl out of the woodwork to play their patented cat-and-mouse game.
- 5/16/2024
- by Brian Davids
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Strangers: Chapter 1
Photo: John Armour (Lionsgate)
After 16 years of axe-wielding, needle-dropping, and door-knocking scares, The Strangers have become all too familiar. When Bryan Bertino’s 2008 original asked, “Is Tamara home?” the home invasion felt like a novel avenue for slashers. With added authenticity and a sense of criminal mundanity,...
Photo: John Armour (Lionsgate)
After 16 years of axe-wielding, needle-dropping, and door-knocking scares, The Strangers have become all too familiar. When Bryan Bertino’s 2008 original asked, “Is Tamara home?” the home invasion felt like a novel avenue for slashers. With added authenticity and a sense of criminal mundanity,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
Horror films can often be the red-headed stepchild of the entertainment industry. They’re rarely treated with the same glitz and glam of other genres. So the fact that Lionsgate is pulling out all the stops for The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a good sign of their faith in their trilogy. Because yes, this is the beginning of not just one solo outing but an entire trio of films for audiences to take head-on. So I was happy the film was getting not just a big theatrical release after being rumored for straight to streaming, it even got a big Hollywood Red Carpet premiere. And I was lucky enough to be able to attend!
Being my first ever Red Carpet, I obviously don’t have a whole lot to compare it to but I was very impressed. The Red Carpet was made of burlap and they had various Strangers lurking around.
Being my first ever Red Carpet, I obviously don’t have a whole lot to compare it to but I was very impressed. The Red Carpet was made of burlap and they had various Strangers lurking around.
- 5/16/2024
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
The landscape of horror cinema is strewn with sequels, prequels, reboots, and remakes—many of which fail to capture the essence of their predecessors. My philosophy is, If a film is to be rebooted, remade, or re-purposed, it must find a way to distinguish itself and justify its existence. Lionsgate’s The Strangers: Chapter 1, directed by Renny Harlin and written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, does neither. This latest installment is a lackluster attempt to revive a franchise that should have remained in its original, standalone glory. With wooden performances from Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez, this film only serves to remind us of what was once innovative in The Strangers (2008), is now rendered commercial, and lifeless.
The film opens with a man running frantically through the woods, beaten and bruised, pursued by masked figures wielding knives and axes. His eventual demise, though inevitable, is barely shown, denying...
The film opens with a man running frantically through the woods, beaten and bruised, pursued by masked figures wielding knives and axes. His eventual demise, though inevitable, is barely shown, denying...
- 5/16/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
“Is Tamara here?” In May of 2008, those three words hung in the air with foreboding menace (along with “because you were home”) as Bryan Bertino’s The Strangers played in theaters and shocked moviegoers like myself with its straightforward approach to home invasion horror and random violence. Now, 16 years later, the masked murderers now known as Pin-Up Girl, Dollface, and Scarecrow are back on the big screen in The Strangers – Chapter 1, the first film in a new trilogy and the third movie overall in the franchise (the most recent being 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night). More of a relaunched expansion of the franchise rather than a full-on remake of the original movie, The Strangers – Chapter 1 still retreads a lot of the first film’s frights, but it does so effectively while weaving in its own intriguing story threads, delivering a promising start to a new trilogy of terror...
- 5/16/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
Rebooting and expanding upon Bryan Bertino’s chilling 2008 horror film in a brand new trilogy, all installments already shot as part of one continuous, overarching story, makes for one of the more ambitious horror endeavors as of late. It also means that The Strangers: Chapter 1 is only the opening act of a three-part saga. Considering it’s the entry most committed to recreating the familiar beats of Bertino’s film, Chapter 1 makes for a tricky-to-gauge, overly familiar introduction to this new expansion.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 introduces happy couple Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) on their way to starting a new life together in the Pacific Northwest. Car troubles leave them stranded in the quirky small town of Venus, Oregon, where they’re forced to stay the night in a cozy but remote cabin in the woods.
Naturally, the deeply in love couple soon find themselves in a desperate...
The Strangers: Chapter 1 introduces happy couple Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) on their way to starting a new life together in the Pacific Northwest. Car troubles leave them stranded in the quirky small town of Venus, Oregon, where they’re forced to stay the night in a cozy but remote cabin in the woods.
Naturally, the deeply in love couple soon find themselves in a desperate...
- 5/16/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
“The Strangers: Chapter 1” is more enjoyable than anticipated. In a backwards way, that’s all the more reason to be let down by Lionsgate’s increasingly confused slasher franchise: A recognizable and once cherished piece of IP that, less than two decades since its creation, is already getting picked for parts.
What began as a barebones home invasion horror — extraordinary because of how well writer/director Bryan Bertino manipulated a total lack of expectation in his first film from 2008 — isn’t so beautifully subtle or senseless anymore. No, these days and directed by Renny Harlin, “The Strangers” is your average melodramatic thriller packed front-to-end with shadowy forest scenes, tight jump-scares, and clumsy repeated references to what few lines work as callbacks from the original script.
That’s fun enough for casual fans and, although the character work and dialogue leave something to be desired, it’s hard to knock “Chapter...
What began as a barebones home invasion horror — extraordinary because of how well writer/director Bryan Bertino manipulated a total lack of expectation in his first film from 2008 — isn’t so beautifully subtle or senseless anymore. No, these days and directed by Renny Harlin, “The Strangers” is your average melodramatic thriller packed front-to-end with shadowy forest scenes, tight jump-scares, and clumsy repeated references to what few lines work as callbacks from the original script.
That’s fun enough for casual fans and, although the character work and dialogue leave something to be desired, it’s hard to knock “Chapter...
- 5/16/2024
- by Alison Foreman
- Indiewire
When Bryan Bertino unleashed "The Strangers" onto the world in 2008, I doubt he could have predicted what a phenomenon the story and characters would become. The first-time feature film director took inspiration from the senseless violence that plagues so many people, and a real-life encounter as a child where vandals were randomly knocking on doors in his neighborhood and breaking into houses if no one was home. The terrifying "point" of "The Strangers" was that there was no point. The Man in the Mask, Pin-Up Girl, and Dollface killed Kristen and James because, as Dollface horrifically admits, "because you were home." Alas, with such phenomenal character designs and a cult-like following, "The Strangers" was destined to get the horror franchise treatment. The sequel film "The Strangers: Prey at Night" arrived 10 years after the original, and was surprisingly well received. Unfortunately, the three killers were killed by the film's final girl,...
- 5/16/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Renny Harlin’s The Strangers: Chapter 1 begins so rotely that it feels like a parody of every bad backwoods horror movie made in the last 50 years. An upwardly mobile young couple, Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), are traveling cross-country to Portland for a job interview that Maya has lined up when they decide to make a pit stop for food. Rather than hit the nearest roadside McDonalds, they veer way off their route toward a diner in the tiny town of Venus, Oregon. And wouldn’t you know it, Maya and Ryan’s car breaks down, and since their cell service is spotty, they’re forced to spend the night in Venus. All the while, the town’s largely unwelcoming residents glare at them and mumble about “city folk.”
One diner employee, though, does offer Maya and Ryan some help, pointing them toward a nearby Airbnb cottage. This,...
One diner employee, though, does offer Maya and Ryan some help, pointing them toward a nearby Airbnb cottage. This,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Mark Hanson
- Slant Magazine
Call it a remake or a reboot of Bryan Bertino’s 2008 original terrorfest, The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a devilishly fun, if disposable, slasher. Our review of Renny Harlin’s latest horror film.
Bryan Bertino’s 2008 film The Strangers is remembered as one of the most terrifying horror films of all time. Unlike Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Saw or Psycho, barely a drop of blood is spilled until the final act, yet the impact of the film was seminal at the time.
The film spawned a critically panned sequel, The Strangers: Prey At Night, which took the action from a single location to a holiday park, with disastrous consequences. Now, attempting the seeming impossible, Finnish director Renny Harlin takes control of the franchise and brings us not just one, but three films set in the same universe.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 works as a kind of a remake of Bertino’s original.
Bryan Bertino’s 2008 film The Strangers is remembered as one of the most terrifying horror films of all time. Unlike Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Saw or Psycho, barely a drop of blood is spilled until the final act, yet the impact of the film was seminal at the time.
The film spawned a critically panned sequel, The Strangers: Prey At Night, which took the action from a single location to a holiday park, with disastrous consequences. Now, attempting the seeming impossible, Finnish director Renny Harlin takes control of the franchise and brings us not just one, but three films set in the same universe.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 works as a kind of a remake of Bertino’s original.
- 5/16/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Ahead of the release of The Strangers: Chapter 1, we chat to director Renny Harlin about reimagining one of the most beloved modern horror films.
When The Strangers, Bryan Bertino’s low-budget horror film, was released in 2008, it immediately burrowed itself under my skin. In the film, a couple, played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, are stalked by masked assailants, who seemingly have no motive for tormenting the couple. The film was a massive hit and has earned itself a firm, deserved cult status.
16 years after the release of Bertino’s film, Finnish director Renny Harlin is attempting the impossible. He has taken the basic premise of The Strangers, kept the name and turned it into an ambitious trilogy of his own.
The film follows Maya (played by Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (played by Froy Gutierrez) on a road trip across the country. They pull over to a remote town for some food,...
When The Strangers, Bryan Bertino’s low-budget horror film, was released in 2008, it immediately burrowed itself under my skin. In the film, a couple, played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman, are stalked by masked assailants, who seemingly have no motive for tormenting the couple. The film was a massive hit and has earned itself a firm, deserved cult status.
16 years after the release of Bertino’s film, Finnish director Renny Harlin is attempting the impossible. He has taken the basic premise of The Strangers, kept the name and turned it into an ambitious trilogy of his own.
The film follows Maya (played by Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (played by Froy Gutierrez) on a road trip across the country. They pull over to a remote town for some food,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Nearly 16 years after Bryan Bertino's The Strangers shocked moviegoers, the three mysterious masked murderers are slicing their way back onto the big screen this week with Lionsgate's May 17th release of The Strangers – Chapter 1, the first film in a new trilogy within The Strangers franchise. Ahead of the film's world premiere in Los Angeles last week, Daily Dead had the chance to talk with producer Courtney Solomon about how the opportunity to make a new Strangers film came about, his desire to do something new with the franchise rather than remake the iconic original movie, exploring the enigmatic masked killers, the initial 289-page screenplay, and more!
You can watch our full video interview with Courtney Solomon below, and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more of our coverage of The Strangers – Chapter 1!
Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland (and based on...
You can watch our full video interview with Courtney Solomon below, and stay tuned to Daily Dead for more of our coverage of The Strangers – Chapter 1!
Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland (and based on...
- 5/15/2024
- by Derek Anderson
- DailyDead
The first major studio family film of summer 2024 opens at the box office this weekend, and it couldn’t boast more star power.
Writer-director John Krasinski’s If — headlining Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming alongside an A-list voice cast — explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
The live-action/CGI animated Paramount pic is tracking for a domestic debut in the $40 million range. Reviews so far are mixed, but good audience scores will arguably matter more in this case. Plus, there’s a pent-up demand for family product that all ages can go see.
Unless there is a total upset, If should top the box office and wrest the crown from Disney and 20th Century Studio’s male-fueled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which overperformed in North America with a $58.6 million opening last weekend,...
Writer-director John Krasinski’s If — headlining Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming alongside an A-list voice cast — explores the world of discarded imaginary friends and what happens when a young girl and her neighbor try to reunite them with their previous human pals.
The live-action/CGI animated Paramount pic is tracking for a domestic debut in the $40 million range. Reviews so far are mixed, but good audience scores will arguably matter more in this case. Plus, there’s a pent-up demand for family product that all ages can go see.
Unless there is a total upset, If should top the box office and wrest the crown from Disney and 20th Century Studio’s male-fueled Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which overperformed in North America with a $58.6 million opening last weekend,...
- 5/15/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Out this week is The Strangers: Chapter 1, the first installment of a new reboot trilogy from director Renny Harlin (A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Master, Deep Blue Sea). While Harlin previously detailed fresh plans for the overarching trilogy, Chapter 1 first aims to recreate the visceral terror of Bryan Bertino’s original film.
It also lays the groundwork for what’s ahead, introducing the peculiar small town of Venus, Oregon.
Bloody Disgusting spoke with Harlin, producer Courtney Solomon, and executive producer/star Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”) about the seeds planted for Chapters 2 and 3 within The Strangers: Chapter 1 ahead of its release in theaters this Friday, May 17, 2024.
Based on the original 2008 cult horror franchise, the project features Petsch as Maya, who drives cross-country with her longtime boyfriend, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest. When their car breaks down in Venus, Oregon, they’re forced to...
It also lays the groundwork for what’s ahead, introducing the peculiar small town of Venus, Oregon.
Bloody Disgusting spoke with Harlin, producer Courtney Solomon, and executive producer/star Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”) about the seeds planted for Chapters 2 and 3 within The Strangers: Chapter 1 ahead of its release in theaters this Friday, May 17, 2024.
Based on the original 2008 cult horror franchise, the project features Petsch as Maya, who drives cross-country with her longtime boyfriend, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest. When their car breaks down in Venus, Oregon, they’re forced to...
- 5/15/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
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