Dakota Fanning is only 30 years old, but she's been acting professionally for 24 of them. A child actor who fortunately avoided the trap of the teen idol curse, Fanning successfully transitioned into more mature roles like Squeaky Fromme in Quentin Tarantino's "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood," Emma Collins in "The Equalizer 3," and as Marge Sherwood on "Ripley." Now, Fanning is starring in Ishana Shyamalan's feature directorial debut, "The Watchers," a dark fairytale about an artist named Mina who gets stranded in the woods and finds sanctuary with three strangers as they are all watched by mysterious, unseen creatures at night.
Fanning plays Mina, a messy, complicated, driven character that is a bit outside of the wheelhouse of what general audiences may be used to seeing her portray. The success of "The Watchers" hinges on whether or not the audience can identify with and root for Mina's survival.
Fanning plays Mina, a messy, complicated, driven character that is a bit outside of the wheelhouse of what general audiences may be used to seeing her portray. The success of "The Watchers" hinges on whether or not the audience can identify with and root for Mina's survival.
- 6/7/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Lionsgate just gave the horror film The Strangers: Chapter 1 (read our review Here) a theatrical release three weeks ago, on May 17th, so the movie is probably still showing on the big screen in some theatres – but Lionsgate already went ahead and gave the movie a digital release today, so you can get it on Amazon if you want to watch it in the comfort of your own home. And now that Chapter 1 has gotten its digital release, the first image from The Strangers: Chapter 2 has made its way online and can be seen at the bottom of this article.
Director Renny Harlin shot an entire trilogy of Strangers movies at the same time. We’ve heard that Lionsgate will also be releasing The Strangers: Chapter 2 by the end of the year, with The Strangers: Chapter 3 following soon after.
Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) has the lead role in this trilogy...
Director Renny Harlin shot an entire trilogy of Strangers movies at the same time. We’ve heard that Lionsgate will also be releasing The Strangers: Chapter 2 by the end of the year, with The Strangers: Chapter 3 following soon after.
Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) has the lead role in this trilogy...
- 6/7/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Lock your doors and hide in the bathroom: The Strangers are coming home. More specifically, the first installment in Renny Harlin's new horror reboot trilogy, "The Strangers: Chapter 1," is now available to rent and buy digitally, with a home media release hopefully to follow.
In case you're not up to date on your "Strangers" lore, here's a quick recap: the original horror movie "The Strangers" rattled viewers to their core when it was released in 2008, scaring the bejesus out of spooky movie fans thanks to its tension-building, bad-guys-in-the-background slow burn, and a home invasion plot with no rhyme or reason. Director Bryan Bertino co-penned an unrelated sequel, the underrated mobile home park slasher "The Strangers: Prey At Night," in 2018, with Ben Katai co-writing the script and Johannes Roberts directing. The first "Strangers" film is polarizing but widely considered one of the freakiest movies of the aughts, while the...
In case you're not up to date on your "Strangers" lore, here's a quick recap: the original horror movie "The Strangers" rattled viewers to their core when it was released in 2008, scaring the bejesus out of spooky movie fans thanks to its tension-building, bad-guys-in-the-background slow burn, and a home invasion plot with no rhyme or reason. Director Bryan Bertino co-penned an unrelated sequel, the underrated mobile home park slasher "The Strangers: Prey At Night," in 2018, with Ben Katai co-writing the script and Johannes Roberts directing. The first "Strangers" film is polarizing but widely considered one of the freakiest movies of the aughts, while the...
- 6/7/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Lionsgate gave the horror film The Strangers: Chapter 1 (read our review Here) a theatrical release just three weeks ago, on May 17th, and during the film’s theatrical run it has managed to pull in over $33 million at the global box office. Now we have learned that as of this Friday, June 7th, horror fans will be able to watch this movie in the comfort of their own homes as Lionsgate is giving The Strangers: Chapter 1 a digital release tomorrow! It’s already available for pre-order on Amazon.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 was directed by Renny Harlin, who shot an entire trilogy of Strangers movies at the same time. We’ve heard that Lionsgate will also be releasing The Strangers: Chapter 2 by the end of the year, with The Strangers: Chapter 3 following soon after.
Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) has the lead role in Chapter 1 and is joined in the cast...
The Strangers: Chapter 1 was directed by Renny Harlin, who shot an entire trilogy of Strangers movies at the same time. We’ve heard that Lionsgate will also be releasing The Strangers: Chapter 2 by the end of the year, with The Strangers: Chapter 3 following soon after.
Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale) has the lead role in Chapter 1 and is joined in the cast...
- 6/6/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
After scaring up $34.7 million at the worldwide box office, we’ve learned that Lionsgate’s franchise reboot The Strangers: Chapter 1 is already coming home to Digital this week.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 slashes its way onto Digital on Friday, June 7!
The film, the first in a reboot trilogy from director Renny Harlin, is currently still playing in theaters. You’ll be able to purchase the movie on Digital this Friday for $24.99.
Lionsgate’s plan is to release The Strangers: Chapter 2 later this year and The Strangers: Chapter 3 likely early next year, with both sequels to Chapter 1 already filmed by Harlin.
We may even get a massive 4.5 hour Director’s Cut of all three films!
Stay tuned for release dates as we learn more.
In The Strangers: Chapter 1, “After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 slashes its way onto Digital on Friday, June 7!
The film, the first in a reboot trilogy from director Renny Harlin, is currently still playing in theaters. You’ll be able to purchase the movie on Digital this Friday for $24.99.
Lionsgate’s plan is to release The Strangers: Chapter 2 later this year and The Strangers: Chapter 3 likely early next year, with both sequels to Chapter 1 already filmed by Harlin.
We may even get a massive 4.5 hour Director’s Cut of all three films!
Stay tuned for release dates as we learn more.
In The Strangers: Chapter 1, “After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin.
- 6/6/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Strangers film series is back with the first film of a new standalone trilogy, and while it may not be as good as the previous two films it is certainly making bank at the box office. Directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, the 2024 film titled The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a horror film that follows the story of a young couple as their car breaks down in a small town and they are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. But things get even worse when three masked strangers try to kill them. So, if you have loved all the previous The Strangers films and you are okay with the latest one here are some similar movies you could watch next.
Becky (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Yale Production and BoulderLight Pictures
Becky is an action thriller film directed...
Becky (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Yale Production and BoulderLight Pictures
Becky is an action thriller film directed...
- 6/6/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Sony’s Bad Boys: Ride or Die hopefully will hit $75M or more in its global debut this weekend, in a marketplace that has suffered from not only lackluster product but lack thereof. Broken out, that’s $40M+ in U.S. and Canada and $35M abroad in a 92% footprint.
Presales for the R-rated fourthquel are behind that of the previous pre-Covid threequel, Bad Boys for Life, which hit a franchise-high stateside opening of $62.5M 3-day and $101M worldwide in early 2020. A few weeks ago, domestic projections were at $50M, but that simmered to $40M of late per several sources; Sony is officially calling the U.S. start at $30M+. Trepidation stems from the offbeat marketplace, which sources believe will pick up over Father’s Day with Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (currently at a $80M-$85M U.S./Canada projection).
Bad Boys for Life’s franchise-record opening stemmed from...
Presales for the R-rated fourthquel are behind that of the previous pre-Covid threequel, Bad Boys for Life, which hit a franchise-high stateside opening of $62.5M 3-day and $101M worldwide in early 2020. A few weeks ago, domestic projections were at $50M, but that simmered to $40M of late per several sources; Sony is officially calling the U.S. start at $30M+. Trepidation stems from the offbeat marketplace, which sources believe will pick up over Father’s Day with Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 (currently at a $80M-$85M U.S./Canada projection).
Bad Boys for Life’s franchise-record opening stemmed from...
- 6/5/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Amidst several releases this month, The Strangers: Chapter 1 certainly emerged as an unexpected contender. It is, in fact, one of the films people expected to shine the least, and yet the opposite is true. Despite initial skepticism, the film’s robust opening day performance signifies a promising start, capturing audience attention and defying expectations.
Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez in The Strangers: Chapter 1 | Lionsgate Movies
While dealing with a lot of criticism and mixed reviews, it now seems that it is steering steadily forward on a path of potential success. The film’s surprising success has undoubtedly left some fans shocked, especially considering its competition in the race for the box office, which includes John Krasinski’s brainchild, If, and the already-running Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and the Ryan Gosling starrer, The Fall Guys.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 Makes a Strong Start at the Box Office...
Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez in The Strangers: Chapter 1 | Lionsgate Movies
While dealing with a lot of criticism and mixed reviews, it now seems that it is steering steadily forward on a path of potential success. The film’s surprising success has undoubtedly left some fans shocked, especially considering its competition in the race for the box office, which includes John Krasinski’s brainchild, If, and the already-running Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, and the Ryan Gosling starrer, The Fall Guys.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 Makes a Strong Start at the Box Office...
- 5/31/2024
- by Sampurna Banerjee
- FandomWire
Here’s the latest episode of The Filmmakers Podcast, part of the podcast roster here on Nerdly. If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out previous episodes on the official podcast site, whilst we’ll be featuring each and every new episode as it premieres.
For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.
The Filmmaker’s Podcast #397: Die Hard 2 director Renny Harlin on...
For those unfamiliar with the series, The Filmmakers Podcast is a podcast about how to make films from micro-budget indie films to bigger-budget studio films and everything in between. Our hosts Giles Alderson, Dom Lenoir, Dan Richardson, Andrew Rodger and Cristian James talk about how to get films made, how to actually make them and how to try not to f… it up in their very humble opinion. Guests will come on and chat about their filmmaking experiences from directors, writers, producers and screenwriters, to actors, cinematographers and distributors.
The Filmmaker’s Podcast #397: Die Hard 2 director Renny Harlin on...
- 5/27/2024
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
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
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
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
The Strangers: Chapter 1 has quite the cliffhanger of an ending that perfectly sets up the forthcoming sequel, Chapter 2.
For the most part, this new film was a faithful retelling of the original 2008 movie starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.
Madeline Petsch and Froy Gutierrez get to portray the leading victims, whose night in an Airbnb doesn't go according to plan after they receive a knock on their door asking if Tamara is home in the 2024 film. Needless to say, the story is not a happy one—though it is at least a touch more hopeful than the first.
Read full article on The Direct.
For the most part, this new film was a faithful retelling of the original 2008 movie starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.
Madeline Petsch and Froy Gutierrez get to portray the leading victims, whose night in an Airbnb doesn't go according to plan after they receive a knock on their door asking if Tamara is home in the 2024 film. Needless to say, the story is not a happy one—though it is at least a touch more hopeful than the first.
Read full article on The Direct.
- 5/20/2024
- by Russ Milheim
- The Direct
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
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
Not exactly the opening weekend that dreams are made of.
Director John Krasinski’s “If,” a fantasy-comedy that promises your imaginary friends from childhood are real, fell slightly short of box office expectations with $35 million. Heading into the weekend, “If” was expected to bring in at least $40 million in its first weekend of release. Based on Friday’s turnout, it looked like “If” would open to $30 million but projections were revised up after Saturday’s strong showing. Ticket sales were enough for first place, but it’s a wobbly start for a PG family film that cost $110 million to make and many millions more to market. It collected an additional $20 million overseas for a global total of $55 million.
The good news for Paramount Pictures, which distributed “If,” is that audiences dug the film, giving it an “A” CinemaScore. Ideally, it’ll have staying power like recent original kid-friendly movies, including “Migration” and “Elemental,...
Director John Krasinski’s “If,” a fantasy-comedy that promises your imaginary friends from childhood are real, fell slightly short of box office expectations with $35 million. Heading into the weekend, “If” was expected to bring in at least $40 million in its first weekend of release. Based on Friday’s turnout, it looked like “If” would open to $30 million but projections were revised up after Saturday’s strong showing. Ticket sales were enough for first place, but it’s a wobbly start for a PG family film that cost $110 million to make and many millions more to market. It collected an additional $20 million overseas for a global total of $55 million.
The good news for Paramount Pictures, which distributed “If,” is that audiences dug the film, giving it an “A” CinemaScore. Ideally, it’ll have staying power like recent original kid-friendly movies, including “Migration” and “Elemental,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Sunday Am, 5:36 Am: Saturdays were good to If lifting the pic to a now $34M opening after a $13.6M Saturday, up 32% against $10.3M Friday and previews. That means that A CinemaScore word of mouth is working. I’m hearing tracking was over its skis predicting it at $40M, and presales all along indicated it was in the $30M range. The John Krasinski directed/written/produced movie drew 50% general and 50% family, and the reason why If is a little lighter is because those 50% Rotten Tomatoes scores kept the main audience away. Pic will easily keep families coming to theaters even with Garfield next weekend. Two family movies can share the marketplace.
Comscore/Screen Engine PostTrak audiences gave the pics 84% positive and a 64% definite reommend. Kids under 12 gave it 88% and 49% must see right away. Mom skewing at 56% female with 49% of the audience between 18-34. Diversity demos were 41% Caucasian, 26% Hispanic and Latino,...
Comscore/Screen Engine PostTrak audiences gave the pics 84% positive and a 64% definite reommend. Kids under 12 gave it 88% and 49% must see right away. Mom skewing at 56% female with 49% of the audience between 18-34. Diversity demos were 41% Caucasian, 26% Hispanic and Latino,...
- 5/19/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
Horror movies use different tropes to scare the audience, with the most obvious of them being jumpscares that are waiting for a viewer around the corner together with a loud nasty sound. However, some genre’s staples manage to creep you out and haunt your mind without using this technique.
Here are 7 inventive, yet extremely frightening horrors, handpicked by Redditors.
1. Sinister (2012)
First comes Ethan Hawke’s supernatural flick, following a disgraced true-crime writer, who finds films depicting relentless murders in his new house.
It’s notorious for having “one of the scariest soundtracks ever” made for a movie , as voiced by @BD_Sanchez.
2. Rec (2007)
This Spanish movie is truly a gem of the subgenre of found footage horrors. It centers on a reporter following the exploration of an infection spreading inside a dark apartment building and the aftermath of a quarantine introduced for its inhabitants.
3. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The...
Here are 7 inventive, yet extremely frightening horrors, handpicked by Redditors.
1. Sinister (2012)
First comes Ethan Hawke’s supernatural flick, following a disgraced true-crime writer, who finds films depicting relentless murders in his new house.
It’s notorious for having “one of the scariest soundtracks ever” made for a movie , as voiced by @BD_Sanchez.
2. Rec (2007)
This Spanish movie is truly a gem of the subgenre of found footage horrors. It centers on a reporter following the exploration of an infection spreading inside a dark apartment building and the aftermath of a quarantine introduced for its inhabitants.
3. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
The...
- 5/16/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
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
Plot: After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple is forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive.
Review: I count myself as a big fan of the original Strangers. The idea of home invasion is absolutely terrifying and its pulled off brilliantly. The Strangers themselves were able to enter the pop culture zenith due to their incredible mask designs and the mystery behind them. Then Prey At Night came out and didn’t have quite the same impact. Sure, everyone likes the pool scene but what else is there? So it’s nice to see The Strangers return, but more in the style of the 2008 film. But those expecting the same old, same old may be disappointed.
Despite being a soft reboot, Chapter 1 is...
Review: I count myself as a big fan of the original Strangers. The idea of home invasion is absolutely terrifying and its pulled off brilliantly. The Strangers themselves were able to enter the pop culture zenith due to their incredible mask designs and the mystery behind them. Then Prey At Night came out and didn’t have quite the same impact. Sure, everyone likes the pool scene but what else is there? So it’s nice to see The Strangers return, but more in the style of the 2008 film. But those expecting the same old, same old may be disappointed.
Despite being a soft reboot, Chapter 1 is...
- 5/16/2024
- by Tyler Nichols
- JoBlo.com
“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
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