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The Strangers film series consists of American psychological horror films. Based on an original story by Bryan Bertino, the plot centers around three masked psycho-sociopathic home invaders that prey on the innocent owners.
A list of five movies from the horror franchise The Strangers, released in 2008, 2018, and 2024. The movies follow different couples who are terrorized by masked strangers in isolated locations.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is a 2024 American horror film that is the third film in The Strangers film series and the first installment of an intended relaunch in the form of a standalone trilogy. It is directed by Renny Harlin, with a screenplay by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, from a story by Bryan Bertino, the director of the first film.
Quick Links. The Strangers, Prey at Night, and Chapter 1 Explained. The Chronological Order Of The Strangers Franchise. The Future of The Strangers Franchise. Releasing Three Films In A Year Is...
- Plot
- Cast
- Themes
- Production
- Music
- Release
- Legacy
- Related Works
- External Links
James Hoyt and Kristen McKay arrive at James' isolated childhood summer home after attending a wedding. The couple is distraught after Kristen turned down James’ marriage proposal. James calls his friend Mike and asks to pick him up in the morning. The couple attempt to have sex, but are interrupted by a knock at the door. They answer to find a you...
Kip Weeks as Man in the MaskFilm scholar Kevin Wetmore noted the film's portrayal of violence as a reflection of its contemporary culture, writing: "Death is a random act in post-9/11 horror—the result of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, as the cliché goes. Unlike in eighties slasherhorror, for example, where engaging in negative behavior such as drinking, doing dr...
Screenplay and inspiration
Writer-director Bryan Bertino wrote the screenplay which was originally titled The Faces; it was the third screenplay he had ever written. Bertino had a particular interest in the horror genre, noting how one can connect to an audience by scaring them, and would state in subsequent interviews that he grew up watching horror films. In particular, he stated he was significantly inspired by thriller films of the 1970s while writing the screenplay,and envisioned a film that "put the audience in t...
Casting
When casting the two leading actors in the film, Bertino sought Liv Tyler for the role of Kristen. Tyler, who had not worked for several years after the birth of her son, accepted the part after being impressed by the script, which she read while on a flight from Japan to Los Angeles: "I especially liked Bryan's way of saying a lot, but not saying everything. Often in movies, it's all spelled out for you, and the dialogue is very explanatory. But Bryan doesn't write like that; he writes how n...
Filming
Bertino had not initially planned on directing The Strangers, and had been disconnected from the project after selling directorial rights to Universal Pictures. Both Justin Lin and Mark Romanek were attached to direct, but eventually backed out. Approximately two years after Bertino had sold the screenplay, Universal passed the project on to its subsidiary, Rogue Pictures, who approached Bertino to direct the project, despite his lack of experience. On a $9 million budget, filming for The Str...
A musical score, consisting of 19 pieces composed by score producers Tomandandy, was released on May 27, 2008, and was distributed by Lakeshore Records. The album was received with generally positive reviews by critics. "It's a creepy score for what appears to be a movie that will make you jump as well as make sure that the doors are locked at nigh...
Marketing and promotion
In late July 2007, Bertino, Tyler and Speedman attended San Diego's annual Comic-Con event to promote the film; all three were present for a questions-and-answers panel session, as well as a screening of the film's official teaser trailer; this trailer was released on the internet several weeks later. It was not until March 2008 that a full-length trailer for the film was released, which can be found on Apple's QuickTime trailer gallery. The trailer originally began running in theaters attach...
Box office
The producers originally planned for a summer release on July 13, 2007, which was eventually postponed to November 2007; however, this date was postponed as well. The producers instead opted for a summer release, and The Strangers had its theatrical debut in the United States and Canada on May 30, 2008. In its opening weekend, the film grossed $21 million in 2,467 theaters, ranking #3 at the box office and averaging $8,514 per theater. The film became a sleeper hit with a successful box-offic...
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 49% based on 164 reviews, with an average rating of 5.1/10. The website's critical consensus reads: "The Strangers has a handful of genuinely scary moments, but they're not enough to elevate the end results above standard slasher fare." Metacritic reported a weighted average score of 47 out of 100, based on 27 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Audiences polled by CinemaScoregave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ t...
In the years since its original release, The Strangers has developed a cult following. In 2009, it was ranked #13 on "Bravo's 13 Scarier Movie Moments" television piece, and in a 2018 retrospective, Clark Collis of Entertainment Weekly deemed the film a "modern-day slasher classic." The A.V. Club named it the 23rd best horror film made since 2000, ...
In August 2008, Rogue Pictures confirmed that a sequel was in the works, with Brian Bertino co-writing the screenplay with Ben Ketai. The project was originally slated to enter principal photography in 2009, during which time it was tentatively titled The Strangers: Part II. Directors Laurent Briet and Marcel Langenegger were considered to direct, ...
The Strangers at IMDbThe Strangers at AllMovieThe Strangers at Box Office MojoThe Strangers at MetacriticDec 1, 2023 · In this article, we will take a closer look at the Strangers movies in order, exploring the terrifying journey that unfolds throughout the series. 1. The Strangers (2008):
An American horror & slasher film series that follows people who are terrorized by three masked assailants: the Man in the Mask, Dollface & Pin-Up Girl.
