Lionsgate is wasting no time in getting The Strangers franchise going again, as evidenced by the fact that the first entry in a planned trilogy has already somewhat quietly wrapped production. This according to The Hollywood Reporter, which recently revealed that Rachel Shenton (All Creatures Great and Small) has joined the cast of the film, which is directed by Reny Harlin (Deep Blue Sea).
The report was actually focused on the casting of Shenton, who won an Oscar for her short film The Silent Child. But THR brought forth a wealth of information about the new trilogy, which we only learned about back in September. To go along with the casting and the reveal that filming has already wrapped, the outlet also brings us a plot synopsis, which reads as follows:
“The remake centers on a couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) who drive cross-country to begin a new life in the Pacific Northwest. When their car breaks down in Venus, Oregon, they’re forced to spend the night in a secluded Airbnb, where they are terrorized from dusk till dawn by three masked strangers.”
There has been some confusion as to whether or not this is a remake or a reboot/sequel, what have you. Given that synopsis, it sounds more like a reboot, as that plot doesn’t really mirror director Bryan Bertino’s original 2008 home invasion horror flick. Whatever the case, Lionsgate has big plans for The Strangers as, again, a whole trilogy is in the works. Will we be focused on this couple or a new batch of victims in each installment? That remains unclear for the time being.
Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland (The Freak Brothers) penned the screenplay for the new film. Courtney Solomon, Mark Canton, Christopher Milburn, Gary Raskin, Charlie Dombeck, and Alastair Birlingham are producing, with Andrei Boncea, Dorothy Canton, and Roy Lee on board as executive producers.
The Strangers was a pretty big success in its day, taking in $83 million at the box office against a $9 million budget. A sequel, The Strangers: Prey at Night, followed a full decade later in 2018. Directed by Johannes Roberts, it performed less spectacularly, taking in $32 million against a $5 million budget. Given its low cost, it was still a hit, just not as big as the original. But everything old is new again, and Lionsgate is hoping audiences will turn up for this new iteration, which is getting a global theatrical release.
The Strangers reboot is expected to hit theaters in 2023.
