Talking at San Diego Comedian Con, the group behind The Strangers reveals that the second and third films went by means of “enhancements.” The Strangers was initially a 2008 horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino. It’s now being remade right into a trilogy directed by Renny Harlin.
The primary film in that trilogy, The Strangers: Chapter 1, was launched final yr. The movie featured a number one solid together with Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez. Harlin is now getting ready for the discharge of The Strangers: Chapter 2 in September and The Strangers: Chapter 3, with a launch date nonetheless to return.
In an interview with ScreenRant at SDCC, Petsch, Harlin, and producer Courtney Solomon replicate on the filming course of and reveal a key post-production element. Petsch and Harlin began by speaking about the advantages of filming back-to-back. Solomon then chimed in so as to add that the group “did enhancements for two and three,” taking pictures over 20 days of latest content material. Take a look at the total quotes beneath:
Madelaine Petsch: Nicely, I will say the fantastic thing about taking pictures all of them three directly was that you do not get an excessive amount of exterior noise in what you are doing. You get to form of reside in a bubble. However the different wonderful thing about it’s as a result of we shot them all of sudden, we may take a look at outsiders, if we needed to, and doubtlessly improve if the film did properly, which it did. It was actually fascinating to see what folks needed to say. I feel I anticipated Chapter One to go because it did on-line, which is that it was a straight remake, clearly, however you possibly can’t actually do what we wish to do in 2 and three with out organising the layers from film 1. Which we completely anticipated and we have been in a position to make use of the data we received from followers to tell our selections shifting ahead with 2 and three in enhancing, and enhancement shoots, in a manner that I feel solely made the trilogy and the chapters higher and stronger.
Renny Harlin: Yeah, I’d say for a director, it was an unbelievable alternative to, to begin with, shoot all of them collectively, and never shoot one after which wait 5 years and shoot one other one, and everyone has to show into a very completely different individual and so forth. However actually keep within the bubble, as a result of these aren’t actually sequels. That is one lengthy, four-and-a-half hour film simply cut up into three chapters, after which being provided an opportunity to have the ability to improve the film. In fact, we’re customers, identical to the viewers. We watch the film with them, and we hearken to them, and we study from them, and we study ourselves once we see the film put collectively. To have the ability to return and say like, “Okay, let’s emphasize this somewhat bit. Let’s discover this somewhat bit.” It is the best present, the best pleasure to have the ability to do it.
Courtney Solomon: Completely. And now, it isn’t formally 52 days anymore. We did enhancements for two and three, so I feel it is someplace between 75 and 80 now.
What This Means For The Strangers Motion pictures
The First Movie Did Not Do Nicely Amongst Critics
Because the group discusses, there are advantages to filming again to again. Petsch famous that there’s “not an excessive amount of noise” about what the group is doing on this case, and Harlin famous the perks of not having an enormous wait time in between.
The Strangers group was in a pickle, nevertheless, as soon as the critiques for the film rolled in. Chapter 1 received a rotten Tomatometer of simply 21%, and an viewers rating that was not that a lot increased.
One of many film’s detractors was ScreenRant‘s Rachel LaBonte. In her combined 5 out of 10-star evaluation of The Strangers, LaBonte famous that it’s “extra of the identical” when it comes to plot.
Associated
The Strangers: Chapter 1 Ending Defined
The Strangers: Chapter 1 ends on a brutal observe, organising the protagonist of the brand new trilogy whereas highlighting the franchise’s themes.
Whereas the primary movie was certainly not a important darling, it had a a lot increased 49% Tomatometer. With two extra movies nonetheless down the pike, The Strangers group possible didn’t wish to repeat these errors.
Their answer has now been revealed to be these reshoots, or “enhancements” as Solomon kindly put it. With this added footage, the group possible hopes to redeem themselves after the primary movie’s important fumble.
Our Take On The Strangers Reshoots
Will These Enhancements Be Sufficient?
By the point The Strangers: Chapter 2 and Chapter 3 hit theaters, it is going to be fascinating to see how improved they really feel from the unique. 20 days of reshoots is sufficient to doubtlessly change some plot factors, although it doesn’t look like they considerably reworked the script.
However, overhauling it may doubtlessly make The Strangers films a bit extra jumbled than earlier than. Hopefully, Harlin and his group have been skillful sufficient at listening to their viewers that they’ve made constructive adjustments to The Strangers films.

The Strangers: Chapter 2
- Launch Date
-
September 26, 2025
- Runtime
-
96 Minutes
-

-

Richard Brake
Sheriff Rotter
-

-

Brooke Lena Johnson
Nurse Danica

