A remake of the 2008 home invasion cult horror hit,The Strangers, is currently underway. The Lionsgate film, directed by Renny Harlin (Cliffhanger,The Misfits) is already in production by Lionsgate and set to star Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale), Froy Gutierrez (Cruel Summer), and Gabriel Basso (Hillbilly Elegy) in the lead roles.
The originalhorrorfilm told the terrifying story of a couple (played by Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) besieged by masked strangers in their vacation home, where they are tortured and tormented. The film has gathered momentum in the decade and a half since its release, becoming a fan favorite in the home invasion genre of horror. The original, produced by Universal and directed by Bryan Bertino, was followed by the less popular sequel,The Strangers: Prey at Night, in 2018.
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According toDeadline, Harlin’s remake is set to take on a similar premise, with Petsch and Gutierrez set to star as the unfortunate couple who rents an Airbnb and is similarly tormented by masked intruders. Harlin, who expresses his love of horror since his first dip into the genre with 1988’sNightmare on Elm Street 4, said it feels like he has come full circle.The Strangersis set to be the first of a trilogy, which will mirror the ideas behind the original film but expand and adapt them over the course of three movies, adding new plot elements and characters.
The second and third installments are already under contract with Lionsgate. According to producer Courtney Solomon, “When setting out to remakeThe Strangers, we felt there was a bigger story to be told, which could be as powerful, chilling, and terrifying as the original and could really expand that world.” Fans ofthe initialThe Strangersfilmhave placed it among the pantheon of terrifying home invasion movies, where it remains a cult favorite. While the remake seems hastily on the heels of both the original and sequel, no doubt Harlin will be able to tell a more complex and in-depth story over the course of three films versus only one.
The movie has great potential for success given the legacy of the originalThe Strangers. The remake has a potentially well-developed script and a cast filled with talented up-and-comers like Petsch, Gutierrez, and Basso, who have been garnering interesting performances on both the small and the large screen. The popularity of Petsch, who has long reigned as a fan favorite inthe cast ofRiverdaleas Cheryl Blossom, will also no doubt be a large draw for audiences.
