Moviefone Editorial

Tag: the strangers

  • ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’ Interview: Madelaine Petsch

    eB4hKYrX

    Opening in theaters on February 6th is ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3‘, which is the third and final installment of the new trilogy that was filmed all at once and is based on 2008’s ‘The Strangers’.

    apbca7zz3Ce0qNj8uRgDt2

    Once again directed by Renny Harlin (‘Die Hard 2’ and ‘Cliffhanger’), the sequel features returning franchise stars Madelaine Petsch (‘Riverdale’), Gabriel Basso (‘A House of Dynamite’), Ema Horvath (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’), and Richard Brake (‘Batman Begins’).

    Madelaine Petsch stars in 'The Strangers - Chapter 3'.
    Madelaine Petsch stars in ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Madelaine Petsch about her work on ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’, shooting all three films at once, what her character is going through in the new movie, if she is happy with the ending, working with legendary director Renny Harlin, and what she’ll remember most about the experience.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Related Article: Director Renny Harlin Talks Horror Sequel ‘The Strangers – Chapter 2’

    Madelaine Petsch as “Maya,” in the horror film 'The Strangers - Chapter 3', a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Madelaine Petsch as “Maya,” in the horror film ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the challenges of shooting three movies at the same time and now that the final installment is being released, how do you feel about fans finally seeing the conclusion of the trilogy?

    Madelaine Petsch: How much time do you have to talk about challenges of shooting three movies at once? It’s quite a thing. I mean, time was a challenge, keeping track of where my character is, not only just emotionally, but physically with my wounds, my limp and how that evolves over time, knowing we want to end without that limp and how do we get there. So, it was so much technicality and then also trying to remove the technicality from the artistry when I’m in front of the camera. It was so much in prep, everything happened in prep. Now that it’s out, I think the other challenge was editing. I mean, we edited ‘Chapter 1’, we edited ‘Chapter 2’, and then by the time we edited the second one, we’re like, “Oh, ‘Chapter 3’ can evolve as this character has evolved naturally through editing in a completely different way.” So, we went and enhanced it with a 15-day reshoot for ‘Chapter 3’. We almost created an entirely new film, which was crazy to see and experience. Also, it was crazy to go back and become Maya again two and a half years later. But there’s endless challenges to that, and endless rewards to it because as an artist, to put yourself through such an insane bootcamp and come out, I believe, victorious is something I’m proud of.

    MF: Can you talk about where we left Maya at the end of the second film and where we find her at the start of ‘Chapter 3’?

    MP: Where we leave Maya is she’s accidentally or not so accidentally, killed Pin-Up Girl (Ema Horvath) after seeing that the people who saved her on the street are dead in their home and knowing that the Strangers are nearby and close. She’s meant to be saved by this ambulance and ultimately is not saved and kills Pin-Up Girl. Then, she’s watching in the woods as Scarecrow mourns Pin-Up Girl. I think that’s when the receptors start clicking for her that these aren’t just people who know each other. They have real intimate relationships and she’s just taken away an important person to this guy, and he’s going to come after her. You pick up in ‘Chapter 3’, literally right where you left off. That last scene in ‘Chapter 2’ is exactly where we start in ‘Chapter 3’. You don’t miss anything. She is no longer fighting to survive. I think she’s angry and more fed up and wants to fight back.

    (L to R) Madelaine Petsch as Maya and Gabriel Basso as Gregory in 'The Strangers - Chapter 3'. Photo Credit: John Armour.
    (L to R) Madelaine Petsch as Maya and Gabriel Basso as Gregory in ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    MF: As an actress, are you happy with the way the story ends for your character, and do you think fans will be satisfied with the conclusion of the series?

    MP: I’m very satisfied with it. I love the moral gray area that we play with in the final moments of this movie. I like watching her not know what she’s going to do in that final scene. I really do believe she walked in and had no idea which direction she was going to go in. I think even after she’s made her decision, there are moments of what is she going to do next? I don’t think we all know what her direction is in life. Although I think there is a large section of horror fans who want totality and want answers, there’s also an equally large portion that likes it open-ended and likes questions, although there is a wrapped-up scenario at the end. There is a lot of open-endedness and “what do you think she does next? Who do you think she’s become? What is she left with?” I like conversation around horror films. That’s the personal kind of film that I like. But there’s a large section of people who wants a finished product. So, I think it will be divisive, but that’s my favorite kind of filmmaking.

    MF: What was it like working with director Renny Harlin on this series and what did you learn from watching the way he executed his vision for this trilogy?

    MP: It’s so funny because every director has such a specific style in the way that they operate. It is my job to become a chameleon to that. I have this amazing video of Renny crawling on the floor the way he had imagined me crawling. I had this moment where I was like, “Renny Harlin is in front of me crawling through leaves right now. What is my life?” He’s a behemoth director. He’s wonderful and he’s so specific about the way he wants to shoot things and the way that he wants things to come together. But he’s also very collaborative, which I think is a rare combination to have as a director who’s so accomplished. He’ll come and say to me, “Okay, I really want to open this with a big crane shot where it reveals you this way. I wanted you standing here. What is your intuition? Where do you want to be?” I think that kind of humility in somebody as big as him is cool and I got lucky. I have so many wonderful things to say about Renny.

    (L to R) Renny Harlin, Madelaine Petsch and Courtney Solomon at San Diego Comic-Con 2025.
    (L to R) Renny Harlin, Madelaine Petsch and Courtney Solomon at San Diego Comic-Con 2025.

    MF: Finally, what will you remember most about the shooting this trilogy?

    MP: That I’m literally a crazy person for signing onto three movies to shoot all at one time. Who is that girl, honestly? The things that I do are just insane, but I’m proud of it. I got to learn a lot about being a producer and how to edit and how that process works. I got a great relationship with Lionsgate, who I consider family now and (Producer) Courtney (Solomon) and Renny. So, I have nothing but good things to say about this process. I feel very lucky.

    A scene from 'The Strangers - Chapter 3'. Photo Credit: Jordy Clarke/Lionsgate.
    A scene from ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’. Photo Credit: Jordy Clarke/Lionsgate.

    What is the plot of ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’?

    Tethered by a frightening conclusion, Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and the Strangers are locked on an unavoidable, unforgiving collision course — a showdown that proves they’re far from strangers now.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’?

    • Madelaine Petsch as Maya
    • Gabriel Basso as Gregory
    • Ema Horvath as Shelly
    • Richard Brake as Sheriff Rotter
    'The Strangers – Chapter 3' opens in theaters on February 6th.
    ‘The Strangers – Chapter 3’ opens in theaters on February 6th.

    List of Movies in ‘The Strangers’ Franchise:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Strangers: Chapter 3’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Renny Harlin Movies on Amazon

     

  • Best Horror Movies On Netflix Right Now!

    Best Horror Movies On Netflix Right Now!

    Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in 'Red Dragon'. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Anthony Hopkins as Hannibal Lecter in ‘Red Dragon’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    Sometimes you want a movie with laughs or action. Other times? You want one with lots of screaming and running.

    With Halloween fast approaching, Moviefone has compiled a list of the 20 scariest and creepiest movies available right now to watch on Netflix.

    NOTE: As Netflix is constantly updating their programing, this list is based on what is available on the streamer as of October 2025. 

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: 35 Scariest Horror Movies of All-Time, Ranked

    20. ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer‘ (2025)

    (L to R) Chase Sui Wonders as Ava Brucks, Madelyn Cline as Danica Richards, Sarah Pidgeon as Stevie Ward, and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson in 2025's 'I Know What You Did Last Summer.' Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Chase Sui Wonders as Ava Brucks, Madelyn Cline as Danica Richards, Sarah Pidgeon as Stevie Ward, and Freddie Prinze Jr. as Ray Bronson in 2025’s ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.

    When five friends inadvertently cause a deadly car accident, they cover up their involvement and make a pact to keep it a secret rather than face the consequences. A year later, their past comes back to haunt them and they’re forced to confront a horrifying truth: someone knows what they did last summer…and is hell-bent on revenge.

    yhFQeRSSB5bA8FWaAWylH6

    19. ‘Ouija‘ (2014)

    A group of friends must confront their most terrifying fears when they awaken the dark powers of an ancient spirit board.

    20042828

    18. ‘Red Dragon‘ (2002)

    Former FBI Agent Will Graham (Edward Norton), who was once almost killed by the savage Hannibal ‘The Cannibal’ Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), now has no choice but to face him again, as it seems Lecter is the only one who can help Graham track down a new serial killer.

    12491

    17. ‘Train to Busan‘ (2016)

    When a zombie virus pushes Korea into a state of emergency, those trapped on an express train to Busan must fight for their own survival.

    JX1brABBK0ceVyFqhwJHS5

    16. ‘The Ritual’ (2018)

    A group of college friends reunite for a trip to the forest, but encounter a menacing presence in the woods that’s stalking them.

    dnXeJ3PNCrL6UP9Ly0uiM2

    15. ‘Until Dawn‘ (2025)

    (L to R) Odessa A’zion, Belmont Cameli, Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino and Ji-young Yoo star in 'Until Dawn'. Photo: Sony Pictures. Photo: Kerry Brown. © 2024 Screen Gems, Inc. and TSG Entertainment II LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Odessa A’zion, Belmont Cameli, Ella Rubin, Michael Cimino and Ji-young Yoo star in ‘Until Dawn’. Photo: Sony Pictures. Photo: Kerry Brown. © 2024 Screen Gems, Inc. and TSG Entertainment II LLC. All Rights Reserved.

    One year after her sister Melanie (Mala Mitchell) mysteriously disappeared, Clover (Ella Rubin) and her friends head into the remote valley where she vanished in search of answers. Exploring an abandoned visitor center, they find themselves stalked by a masked killer and horrifically murdered one by one…only to wake up and find themselves back at the beginning of the same evening.

    iaELISL856IVy4ROnn07k1

    14. ‘Gerald’s Game‘ (2017)

    When her husband’s sex game goes wrong, Jessie (Carla Gugino), who is handcuffed to a bed in a remote lake house, faces warped visions, dark secrets and a dire choice.

    kk7cZISh6i2nhPD5LmsEy3

    13. ‘The Babysitter‘ (2017)

    When Cole (Judah Lewis) stays up past his bedtime, he discovers that his hot babysitter (Samara Weaving) is part of a Satanic cult that will stop at nothing to keep him quiet.

    VTO5Hx61t8Bbn1ynz6oTM6

    12. ‘Creep‘ (2014)

    Looking for work, Aaron (Patrick Brice) comes across a cryptic online ad: “$1,000 for the day. Filming service. Discretion is appreciated.” Low on cash and full of naiveté, he decides to go for it. He drives to a cabin in a remote mountain town where he meets Josef (Mark Duplass), his cinematic subject for the day. Josef is sincere and the project seems heartfelt, so Aaron begins to film. But as the day goes on, it becomes clear that Josef is not who he says, and his intentions are not at all pure.

    20056383

    11. ‘The Strangers‘ (2008)

    After a 4 a.m. knock at the door and haunting voices, Kristen McKay (Liv Tyler) and James Hoyt’s (Scott Speedman) remote getaway becomes a psychological night of terror as three masked strangers invade. Now they must go far beyond what they thought themselves capable of if they hope to survive.

    26543

    10. ‘Sinister‘ (2012)

    Ethan Hawke in 'Sinister'. Photo: Lionsgate.
    Ethan Hawke in ‘Sinister’. Photo: Lionsgate.

    True-crime writer Ellison Oswald (Ethan Hawke) is in a slump; he hasn’t had a best seller in more than 10 years and is becoming increasingly desperate for a hit. So, when he discovers the existence of a snuff film showing the deaths of a family, he vows to solve the mystery. He moves his own family into the victims’ home and gets to work. However, when old film footage and other clues hint at the presence of a supernatural force, Ellison learns that living in the house may be fatal.

    55176

    9. ‘Escape Room‘ (2019)

    Six strangers find themselves in circumstances beyond their control, and must use their wits to survive.

    3dA7TvxAa4ktDnHx6eQZW2

    8. ‘No One Gets Out Alive‘ (2021)

    An immigrant (Cristina Rodlo) in search of the American dream is forced to take a room in a boarding house and soon finds herself in a nightmare from which she can’t escape.

    e4TCDbZ93F1DACWiCNbf27

    7. ‘Slender Man‘ (2018)

    In a small town in Massachusetts, four high school girls perform a ritual in an attempt to debunk the lore of Slender Man. When one of the girls goes mysteriously missing, they begin to suspect that she is, in fact, his latest victim.

    TVchJVIV36Kp7zrEhZY4V4

    6. ‘The Perfection‘ (2019)

    When troubled musical prodigy Charlotte (Allison Williams) seeks out Elizabeth (Logan Browning), the new star pupil of her former school, the encounter sends both musicians down a sinister path with shocking consequences.

    0pn2Bmyk2h70p4QO8NycS3

    5. ‘28 Years Later‘ (2025)

    (L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures' '28 Years Later'. Photo: Sony Pictures.
    (L to R) Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and his son Spike (Alfie Williams) in Columbia Pictures’ ’28 Years Later’. Photo: Sony Pictures.

    It’s been almost three decades since the rage virus escaped a biological weapons laboratory, and now, still in a ruthlessly enforced quarantine, some have found ways to exist amidst the infected. One such group of survivors lives on a small island connected to the mainland by a single, heavily-defended causeway. When one of the group leaves the island on a mission into the dark heart of the mainland, he discovers secrets, wonders, and horrors that have mutated not only the infected but other survivors as well.

    Y0yVDDumuqttYGuM5pF7c

    4. ‘Apostle‘ (2018)

    In 1905, a man (Dan Stevens) travels to a remote island in search of his missing sister who has been kidnapped by a mysterious religious cult.

    y3l6PksSlXOfa4q1iWgEJ4

    3. ‘Velvet Buzzsaw‘ (2019)

    Big money artists and mega-collectors pay a high price when art collides with commerce. After a series of paintings by an unknown artist are discovered, a supernatural force enacts revenge on those who have allowed their greed to get in the way of art.

    ykcdNNS1WEuTBCAzbQGiY2

    2. ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula‘ (1992)

    Centuries-old vampire Count Dracula (Gary Oldman) travels to Victorian London, where he becomes obsessed with Mina Murray (Winona Ryder), the fiancée of his solicitor, Jonathan Harker (Keanu Reeves), believing her to be the reincarnation of his long-lost love.

    3147

    1. ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre‘ (1974)

    A scene from 1974's 'The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'. Photo: Bryanston Distributing Company.
    A scene from 1974’s ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre’. Photo: Bryanston Distributing Company.
    Five friends head out to rural Texas to visit the grave of a grandfather. On the way, they stumble across what appears to be a deserted house, only to discover something sinister within. Something armed with a chainsaw.
    1xz4OohDGbLONyBLOTmWV1
  • The 20 Most Terrifying Horror Films of the Last Decade

    The 20 Most Terrifying Horror Films of the Last Decade

    Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott in 'A Quiet Place.'
    Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott in ‘A Quiet Place.’

    Horror movies have two speeds: Slasher and terrifyingly intense. At the risk of sleeping with the lights on for the next forever, we’re looking at the latter.

    With Halloween fast approaching, Moviefone is counting down the most terrifying horror movies that were released between 2015 and now.

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: 35 Scariest Horror Movies of All-Time, Ranked

    20. ‘Nosferatu‘ (2024)

    Lily-Rose Depp stars as Ellen Hutter in director Robert Eggers’ 'Nosferatu', a Focus Features release. Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.
    Lily-Rose Depp stars as Ellen Hutter in director Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’, a Focus Features release. Photo: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 Focus Features LLC.

    Robert Eggers’ ‘Nosferatu’ is a gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman (Lily-Rose Depp) and the terrifying vampire (Bill Skarsgård) infatuated with her, causing untold horror in its wake.

    9AsVzkZWOeFuvGl1R1oWz5

    19. ‘Immaculate‘ (2024)

    An American nun (Sydney Sweeney) embarks on a new journey when she joins a remote convent in the Italian countryside. However, her warm welcome quickly turns into a living nightmare when she discovers her new home harbours a sinister secret and unspeakable horrors.

    jUFUXYa2htdcpdJ8mlXkF1

    18. ‘Speak No Evil‘ (2024)

    When an American family is invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic country estate of a charming British family they befriended on vacation, what begins as a dream holiday soon warps into a snarled psychological nightmare.

    diz2MyQAy90vzIH7QyWDV5

    17. ‘Nope‘ (2022)

    Residents in a lonely gulch of inland California bear witness to an uncanny, chilling discovery.

    G8a49ufGYNF2LsFWk3rc14

    16. ‘Barbarian‘ (2022)

    In town for a job interview, a young woman (Georgina Campbell) arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that it has been mistakenly double-booked and a strange man (Bill Skarsgård) is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway.

    rrTLEBuWdDthSNDrFZrwm

    15. ‘The Menu‘ (2022)

    The cast of 'The Menu.' Photo by Eric Zachanowich. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.
    The cast of ‘The Menu.’ Photo by Eric Zachanowich. Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures. © 2022 20th Century Studios All Rights Reserved.

    A young couple (Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicholas Hoult) travels to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef (Ralph Fiennes) has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises.

    uMyJXGNeZYC9KvHwCoq2d2

    14. ‘Doctor Sleep‘ (2019)

    Still scarred by the trauma he endured as a child at the Overlook Hotel, Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) faces the ghosts of the past when he meets Abra (Kyliegh Curran), a courageous teen who desperately needs his help — and who possesses a powerful extrasensory ability called the “shine”.

    lz7wX7QQwH38Pejp5PcQ72

    13. ‘Smile‘ (2022)

    After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain.

    VbgmTtR1hvLV55fmPLfa42

    12. ‘The Monkey‘ (2025)

    When twin brothers (Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.

    ZVqbEOo5rDrkRNV1FGJgg7

    11. ‘Talk to Me‘ (2023)

    When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

    c0DGUAx6CiV0M663JGzxk1

    10. ‘Longlegs‘ (2024)

    Maika Monroe in 'Longlegs'. Photo: Neon.
    Maika Monroe in ‘Longlegs’. Photo: Neon.

    In pursuit of a serial killer (Nicolas Cage), an FBI agent (Maika Monroe) uncovers a series of occult clues that she must solve to end his terrifying killing spree.

    f1CZT3waPdgmD927NgBwJ4

    9. ‘Weapons‘ (2025)

    When all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance.

    xtEXVsof6Y9PmpmI1phg34

    8. ‘The Substance‘ (2024)

    A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).

    XDW8BIte6djJ8VczYmU4M7

    7. ‘Midsommar‘ (2019)

    Several friends travel to Sweden to study as anthropologists a summer festival that is held every ninety years in the remote hometown of one of them. What begins as a dream vacation in a place where the sun never sets, gradually turns into a dark nightmare as the mysterious inhabitants invite them to participate in their disturbing festive activities.

    qyjvUkNtWrcjpUh1dp58E

    6. ‘Get Out‘ (2017)

    Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) and his girlfriend Rose (Allison Williams) go upstate to visit her parents for the weekend. At first, Chris reads the family’s overly accommodating behavior as nervous attempts to deal with their daughter’s interracial relationship, but as the weekend progresses, a series of increasingly disturbing discoveries lead him to a truth that he never could have imagined.

    20088931

    5. ‘Heretic‘ (2024)

    Hugh Grant in 'Heretic'. Photo: A24.
    Hugh Grant in ‘Heretic’. Photo: A24.

    Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.

    doqIld1zIazFejxQjFWjA7

    4. ‘A Quiet Place‘ (2018)

    A family is forced to live in silence while hiding from creatures that hunt by sound.

    fc5nXexahuoi3aPWHZezt4

    3. ‘It‘ (2017)

    In a small town in Maine, seven children known as The Losers Club come face to face with life problems, bullies and a monster that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise.

    3ulw3EXlxHiyZxk7bFigM3

    2. ‘It Follows‘ (2015)

    A young woman (Maika Monroe) is followed by an unknown supernatural force after a sexual encounter.

    20054384

    1. ‘Hereditary‘ (2018)

    Toni Collette in 'Hereditary'. Photo: A24.
    Toni Collette in ‘Hereditary’. Photo: A24.

    Following the death of the Leigh family matriarch, Annie (Toni Collette) and her children uncover disturbing secrets about their heritage. Their daily lives are not only impacted, but they also become entangled in a chilling fate from which they cannot escape, driving them to the brink of madness.

    DQRGO0nR4rVbgY8abuoCI

  • ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’ Interview: Director Renny Harlin

    kPzdYgKJ

    Opening in theaters on September 26th is the sequel to last year’s remake of ‘The Strangers’ entitled ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’, which was directed by Renny Harlin (‘Die Hard 2’ and ‘Cliffhanger’), and stars Madelaine Petsch (‘Riverdale’), Gabriel Basso (‘The Night Agent’), and Ema Horvath (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’).

    TwBGJPfmSO2hlVFZOkBJZ1

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Renny Harlin about his work on ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2′, where the new movie starts off, revealing the Strangers’ backstory, and the challenges of shooting Chapters 1-3 at the same time.

    'The Strangers – Chapter 2' Panel At San Diego Comic-Con International 2025 at San Diego Convention Center on July 24, 2025 in San Diego, California. Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Lionsgate.
    ‘The Strangers – Chapter 2’ Panel At San Diego Comic-Con International 2025 at San Diego Convention Center on July 24, 2025 in San Diego, California. Photo by Vivien Killilea/Getty Images for Lionsgate.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Harlin, and Madelaine Petsch.

    Related Article: Renny Harlin Talks ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ and the Franchise’s Future

    'The Strangers – Chapter 2' director Renny Harlin.
    ‘The Strangers – Chapter 2’ director Renny Harlin.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about where ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ left off and where we find Maya when ‘Chapter 2’ begins?

    Renny Harlin: Our whole concept for the three chapters was that we would take the original movie, use it as a premise in our first chapter, set the stage, and play with the idea of what if the female lead didn’t die as she apparently did in the original movie? What if she didn’t die? What would happen the next day? Basically, these three movies that we made take place in four days, and it’s like one, four-and-a-half-hour movie that is chopped up into three pieces. So, we left her in the first movie with her fiancé having been brutally murdered by these home intruders, but she doesn’t die. We find her in a local little hospital in the same town where the murder has happened. She wakes up in the hospital and she realizes her fiancé is gone, and she’s survived, but things are about to get much worse.

    'The Strangers – Chapter 2' opens in theaters on September 26th.
    ‘The Strangers – Chapter 2’ opens in theaters on September 26th.

    MF: Can you talk about your choice to explore the backstory of the Strangers in this chapter?

    RH: Well, we felt that there were two parts to this mystery. One was exploring our final girl, our survivor, Maya, and her psychological landscape. Where do you go after this brutal event, and when it continues, are you going to just fall apart and give up, or are you going to fight or flight? Then the other side of the coin is the Strangers, is the movie is called ‘The Strangers’. You can ask the people who go into this town, are they the Strangers, or are the killers, the Strangers? Anybody can have their own opinion, but we wanted to explore them more, and I think the great thing about the original movie and our whole series is that there’s no rhyme or reason for these crimes. We’re not going to explain why this person does this. It’s not because this event happened to them and its revenge or something like that. Serial killers don’t have any motive except that they are serial killers, and they usually pick their victims randomly. So, we wanted to look under the hood a little bit and give the audience some clues to what makes these people tick. In the second movie, you’ll find out maybe something about the identities and then in the third movie, you will find out a lot more. But why they do it and so on, will probably always be a mystery, because it is the randomness of these attacks that is so terrifying, and that’s how most of these kinds of horrible killings happen all over America, unfortunately, in real life.

    Madelaine Petsch as Maya in 'The Strangers — Chapter 2'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Madelaine Petsch as Maya in ‘The Strangers — Chapter 2’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about the challenges and the advantages of shooting three movies at once?

    RH: Absolutely. It was a challenge. It was a privilege and a challenge, because as a filmmaker, when do you get to explore your characters for four and a half hours in one go? Never. On the other hand, the fact that we were shooting three movies together, we couldn’t shoot chronologically. We couldn’t say, let’s shoot movie one now and then movie two and then movie three. To make it economically, and practically viable, we must use whatever locations we had in common between the movies, and there were some key locations that play a part in each movie. For example, the house, you know, it’s a home invasion. So, the first movie takes place almost entirely in the house. Then that house will still play a certain kind of a role in the subsequent movies, but, much smaller. Then there are some other locations, a hospital or the diner in the town that will appear in all the chapters. When we were in the house, we were going to shoot everything in the house. That means that sometimes we could be shooting Monday morning, we could be in the second chapter and Monday afternoon in the first chapter and then Tuesday morning in the third chapter. It was challenging for everybody in the crew, from the makeup and the art department to wardrobe, and to the actors, of course, and especially to Madelaine, having to emotionally be able to go from one place to another like this quickly. For me to keep track of like, okay, where are we in the story, what’s happening now? What’s the tempo, what’s the style? Where are the characters emotionally? So, I made this chart where I went through all the three scripts, or the one very long script, then charted exactly where I think the character is emotionally in each scene. Because if you have a dramatic scene, she’s screaming and she’s crying. But then when you string those scenes together, you will end up with just like one big crying and screaming thing for one and a half hours. So, you must dole it out in the right amount and doses and the key was really to always remember, where are we emotionally now? Are we at the low or the high or the middle or whatever?

    Madelaine Petsch as Maya in 'The Strangers — Chapter 2'. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
    Madelaine Petsch as Maya in ‘The Strangers — Chapter 2’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.

    What is the plot of ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’?

    The Strangers are back – more brutal and relentless than ever. When they learn that one of their victims, Maya (Madelaine Petsch), is still alive, they return to finish what they’ve started. With nowhere to run and no one to trust, Maya must survive another horrific chapter of terror as The Strangers – driven by a senseless, unceasing purpose – pursue her, more than willing to kill anyone who stands in their way.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’?

    • Madelaine Petsch as Maya Lucas
    • Gabriel Basso as Gregory
    • Ema Horvath as Shelly
    'The Strangers – Chapter 2' opens in theaters on September 26th.
    ‘The Strangers – Chapter 2’ opens in theaters on September 26th.

    List of Movies in ‘The Strangers’ Franchise:

    'The Strangers: Chapter 1' director Renny Harlin.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ director Renny Harlin.

    List of Renny Harlin Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Strangers: Chapter 2’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Renny Harlin Movies on Amazon

     

  • Movie Review: ‘The Strangers – Chapter 1’

    'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Opening in theaters May 17 is ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1,’ directed by Renny Harlin and starring Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Ema Horvath, and Rachel Shenton.

    Related Article: Renny Harlin Talks ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ and the Franchise’s Future

    Initial Thoughts

    (L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in 'The Strangers' Trilogy, a Lionsgate release.
    (L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in ‘The Strangers’ Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate.

    Since ‘The Strangers’ came out in 2008, its reputation as a stone-cold horror classic has grown. And with good reason: the movie – about a troubled couple besieged in their home by three masked strangers for no discernible reason – is legitimately terrifying. Writer-director Bryan Bertino’s frightening little gem took viewers by surprise with the relentless and utterly unexplainable nature of the assault, while putting two characters who are already at odds when we meet them into a situation where they will either live or die in the last place they want to be at that moment.

    A sequel, ‘The Strangers: Prey at Night,’ tried to capture that same feeling with mixed results. And now we have a prequel, ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1,’ that is essentially a step-by-step remake of the original, with some details changed and others missing, that fails on almost every level. There is no surprise, no underlying tension, not even much of a dynamic between our two leads, who are pretty, bland, and utterly uninteresting. By its second half, ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ just becomes an exercise in sadism because we already know how it ends.

    Story and Direction

    Froy Gutierrez, Madelaine Petsch and director Renny Carlin on the set of 'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    (L to R) Froy Gutierrez, Madelaine Petsch and director Renny Carlin on the set of ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) are driving through the Pacific Northwest to get to a job interview that Maya has with an architectural firm (a convenient plot point that seems only thrown in to advance another plot point later on). They’re young, cute, and perfectly happy. Well, almost: Maya has decided that she wants to get married after years of not being interested in formalizing the relationship. In a flip from the original – where Liv Tyler’s Kristen adamantly didn’t want to marry Scott Speedman’s James – Ryan is the one who’s hesitant. But not so much that it disrupts our perky pair’s idyllic trip – a source of tension that elevated ‘The Strangers.’

    Of course, their car breaks down in a small Oregon town, where – in one of the hoariest cliches in the horror playbook – just about everyone either acts suspiciously or actively seems like they’re in cahoots with the family from ‘The Texas Chain Saw Massacre.’ This is a development that basically goes nowhere, however, and seems merely set up to kill some time until the couple end up at an Airbnb nestled so deep in the forest that one might expect a few Ents to show up.

    Madelaine Petsch as Maya in 'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    Madelaine Petsch as Maya in ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Sure enough, Maya and Ryan have barely settled into the decently-appointed cabin in the woods when they get a knock at the door and a shadowy female figure asks if Tamara is there – the cue that Maya and Ryan’s night is about to turn very bad. It’s a while before the three masked intruders finally launch their attack, but in the meantime they make noises around the house while Ryan goes out to find some vegan food and Madelaine takes a shower, giving director Renny Harlin a chance to wring what meager suspense he can out of the situation.

    And that’s basically it: the rest of the movie follows the same path as the original ‘Strangers,’ even down to Ryan finding a gun and accidentally shooting an innocent person who shows up at the wrong time. He and Maya are especially useless at protecting or defending themselves, with Maya even locking herself in an upstairs closet at one point and just sitting there. There’s no suspense and no surprise because we’ve basically seen all this before, and the last act of the film becomes an exercise in tormenting two young people who are so depth-free that we don’t really care what happens to them.

    Renny Harlin – a long way from the days of ‘Cliffhanger,’ ‘Die Hard 2,’ and even ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street IV’ – directs all this with a lack of energy or innovation that would condemn this movie directly to a VOD platform if Lionsgate Films wasn’t interested in ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ relaunching this semi-franchise. Speaking of which…

    The ‘Strangers’ Trilogy

    'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Harlin and Lionsgate have apparently shot not just ‘Chapter 1,’ but ‘Chapter 2’ and ‘Chapter 3’ as well. In fact, stick around and you’ll see a scene from the second (or even third?) movie during the credits. We won’t reveal much more than that, but it seems as if the ‘Strangers’ mythology will be expanded in one large, three-part story that will ultimately explain who the Strangers are, who “Tamara” is, and why the bloody trio go about their business.

    That, of course, is the wrong way to proceed. We don’t want to pre-judge the films, but if the next two chapters eventually explain and strip away the mystery of the Strangers, that will likely wreck whatever fright factor the franchise can maintain. Horror is usually at its best when it’s left inexplicable, something the producers here should take to heart.

    Final Thoughts

    Froy Gutierrez as Ryan in 'The Strangers: Chapter 1.'
    Froy Gutierrez as Ryan in ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1.’ Photo Credit: John Armour.

    In the meantime, assuming the already-completed sequels are going to come out whether we like it or not, ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ doesn’t give us a lot of confidence about the series going forward. It rehashes the original film while losing all its existential dread, and deploys stock horror tropes in the latter’s place. It gives us no one to care about and nothing to latch onto, except the sinking feeling that we should have watched something else instead – like maybe the original film.

    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ receives 3 out of 10 stars.

    xaCTtCSt8CEN78KgXlfji5

    What is the plot of ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’?

    While driving cross-country for a job interview, Maya (Madelaine Petsch) and her boyfriend Ryan (Froy Gutierrez) are stranded in a small Oregon town by car trouble. Finding shelter at a local Airbnb, the couple soon find themselves besieged by three masked, murderous strangers.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’?

    • Madelaine Petsch as Maya
    • Froy Gutierrez as Ryan
    • Ema Horvath as Shelly
    • Rachel Shenton as Debbie
    • Richard Brake as Sheriff Rotter
    'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Other Movies in ‘The Strangers’ Franchise:

    Other Renny Harlin Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Renny Harlin Movies on Amazon

    qM3tWclS

  • ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Interview: Director Renny Harlin

    QuVhdzcE

    Opening in theaters on May 17th is the third film in ‘The Strangers’ franchise entitled ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1‘, which will act as the beginning of a new trilogy with all three films being directed by Renny Harlin (‘Die Hard 2,’ ‘Cliffhanger’).

    The new movie stars Madelaine Petsch (‘Riverdale’), Froy Gutierrez (‘Teen Wolf’), Rachel Shenton (‘The Silent Child‘), Gabriel Basso (‘Super 8’), Ema Horvath (‘The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power’), and Richard Brake (‘The Last Stop in Yuma County‘).

    Director Renny Harlin Talks 'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    Director Renny Harlin Talks ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’.

    Related Article: Where to Watch ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ 

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with veteran director Renny Harlin about his work on ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’, reinventing the franchise, his plans for the upcoming films, building suspense, creating rules for ‘The Strangers’ world, and his casting process.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Harlin, Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez.

    Froy Gutierrez, Madelaine Petsch and director Renny Carlin on the set of 'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    (L to R) Froy Gutierrez, Madelaine Petsch and director Renny Carlin on the set of ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about taking on this horror franchise and what you wanted to do to reinvent it and put your own personal stamp on it?

    Renny Harlin: I am a big fan of the original ‘Strangers’, and I wouldn’t have done a remake or a sequel to it. But when I was presented with this challenge and opportunity of taking the premise of the original movie, which is a very realistic home invasion story, and then expanding on that for three movies, in essence, a four-and-a-half-hour odyssey of horror, I felt like you don’t get this opportunity ever to really go deep into the psychology of the victims and also the killers themselves. It was challenging, but it was incredibly rewarding to be able to do this.

    'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    MF: Did you create rules for yourself for this world? Do you understand who the strangers are and why they’re doing what they’re doing?

    RH: Very interesting point. What was special about the original film was that there were no answers. It was a random act of senseless violence, which unfortunately happens in this world of ours. We wanted to keep that theme alive throughout the three movies, so we answer some things that people have been wondering since they saw the original, such as who Tamara is, for example. But then we leave a bunch of things unanswered. We do dig deep into the psychology of these killers and study what makes a sociopath tick, but we don’t wrap it up and put a bow on top of it. We want to keep it open like the original film was.

    'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    MF: Can you talk about the challenges of building suspense with a movie like this?

    RH: The key principle was very clear, and you asked about if I made rules. The number one rule was reality. It’s so easy, especially I think a filmmaker like me who has done action movies, is to think bigger is better. But in this movie, smaller was better, and I always had to check with myself that I was keeping things real. This is nothing supernatural, this is not fantastical. This is about you and me in this extraordinary situation and challenge, and that was the most important thing to always keep in mind. Telling the story, directing the actors, finding the angles for the camera and so on, just the tension, the fear and the sense of dread comes from the fact that it’s so relatable that we all could end up in this horrifying situation.

    (L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in 'The Strangers' Trilogy, a Lionsgate release.
    (L to R) Froy Gutierrez as “Ryan” and Madelaine Petsch as “Maya” in ‘The Strangers’ Trilogy, a Lionsgate release. Photo Credit: John Armour for Lionsgate.

    MF: Finally, can you talk about your casting process and what were you looking for when casting the characters of Maya and Ryan?

    RH: Liv Tyler starred in the original film, and she did a fantastic job. She was beautiful, she was vulnerable, and she was interesting, so those were big boots to fill. We saw tons and tons of actors and realized this can’t be just any attractive, good actor. When we met Madeleine, which was through a Zoom call first, we were just really impressed by her intelligence, by her passion, by her insightfulness, and her charm. She very soon became our number one choice and ended up really becoming a partner in this endeavor in terms of working on the script with us and really understanding the full scale of the three movies, and having the physicality to be able to go through what she needs to go through in the subsequent films. Then with Froy, we wanted to find somebody who would have the chemistry with her, and again, he’s a great actor and just a sweet guy. There was just this certain innocence that we wanted to have in him so that it would be so painful to see him have to go through this stuff. I think most of the audience doesn’t consider them being these tough people who could deal with knife-wielding and ax-wielding killers, so I think that he’s also very relatable in this role.

    xaCTtCSt8CEN78KgXlfji5

    What is the plot of ‘’The Strangers: Chapter 1’?

    Maya (Madelaine Petsch) drives across the country with her longtime boyfriend, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez ), as the pair begin a new life together in the Pacific Northwest. Along the way, their car breaks down in Venus, Oregon and they are forced to spend the night in an isolated Airbnb home. Through the night they are terrorized by three murderous masked strangers.

    Who is in the cast of ‘’The Strangers: Chapter 1’?

    • Madelaine Petsch as Maya
    • Froy Gutierrez as Ryan
    • Rachel Shenton as Debbie
    • Gabriel Basso as Gregory
    • Ema Horvath as Shelly
    • Ella Bruccoleri as Jasmine
    • Richard Brake as Sheriff Rotter
    'The Strangers: Chapter 1'.
    ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’. Photo Credit: John Armour.

    Other Movies in ‘The Strangers’ Franchise:

    Other Renny Harlin Movies:

    Buy Tickets: ‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Renny Harlin Movies on Amazon

     

  • Dakota Fanning to Star in Horror Thriller ‘Vicious’

    Emma (Dakota Fanning) reports to Frank what is happening in Italy in Columbia Pictures 'The Equalizer 3.'
    Emma (Dakota Fanning) reports to Frank what is happening in Italy in Columbia Pictures ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Photo: Stefano Montesi.

    Preview:

    • Dakota Fanning will star in new horror movie ‘Vicious’.
    • ‘The Strangers’ Bryan Bertino is writing and directing.
    • The movie is scheduled for release in August next year.

    Dakota Fanning certainly seems to be in a horror mood of late. She already has the Ishana Night Shyamalan thriller ‘The Watchers’ headed to screens in June, and now, via Variety, the actor will lead the cast of new chiller ‘Vicious’.

    WxdFzgNSfpz8toKV9nUbV7

    What’s the story of ‘Vicious’?

    Fanning will star as a young woman who is left a strange present by a late-night visitor, and quickly realizes she is fighting for her life after slipping down a disturbing rabbit hole contained inside the gift.

    Which all makes it sound like a valuable lesson in not accepting gifts from strangers, something every parent drills into their child and, if we’re honest, has been a truth since the days of the Trojan Horse.

    Related Article: 20 Best Dakota Fanning Movies of All Time!

    Who is making ‘Vicious’?

    2008's 'The Strangers.'
    2008’s ‘The Strangers.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

    The new movie comes from Bryan Bertino, who broke out writing and directing sleeper horror hit ‘The Strangers’ in 2008, which featured other people terrorized in their house by unexpected visitors.

    Since then, he has gone on to make 2014’s ‘Mockingbird,’ 2016’s ‘The Monster’ and 2020’s ‘The Dark and the Wicked’. He also wrote and produced a ‘Strangers’ sequel, ‘The Strangers: Prey at Night’ in 2018.

    He has had other projects in development, but it appears ‘Vicious’ is jumping to the head of the queue.

    ‘Vicious’ comes from Paramount Pictures, which has seen success with horror of late, including 2022’s ‘Smile’, which has a sequel on the way this October (so if you see random standing around with creepy grins, you know the promotional campaign has ramped up again) and ‘Pet Sematary: Bloodlines’, which while the prequel to the Stephen King story didn’t get great reviews, it did do well for streaming service Paramount+.

    What else has Dakota Fanning worked on?

    Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley in 'Ripley.'
    Andrew Scott as Tom Ripley in ‘Ripley.’ Photo: Philippe Antonello/Netflix © 2023.

    In addition to ‘The Watchers’, Fanning will be seen in the Netflix adaptation of ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, titled simply ‘Ripley’ (out on April 4th) and ‘The Perfect Couple’, which stars Nicole Kidman and Liev Schreiber, and will also be on the streaming service, but has yet to announce a date.

    And on top of that, she’s busy as a producer through her Llewellyn Pictures company. Projects include a four-part documentary series called ‘Mastermind’ for Hulu, which chronicles the experience of the legendary Dr. Ann Burgess and her trajectory from nurse to criminal profiler for the FBI, an adaptation of ‘Paris: The Memoir’, and TV series ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’, which will star Fanning’s sister Elle.

    When will ‘Vicious’ be in theaters?

    Paramount has scheduled ‘Vicious’ for an August 8th, 2025 release.

    Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington on the set of 'The Equalizer 3.'
    (L to R) Dakota Fanning and Denzel Washington on the set of ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Photo: Stefano Cristiiano Montesi.

    Other Dakota Fanning Movies:

    Buy Dakota Fanning Movies on Amazon

    mdvtiCC1