Renny Harlin’s The Strangers trilogy set in the same universe as the previous films?

Director Renny Harlin (A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master) has already wrapped production on not only a remake of the 2008 film The Strangers (watch it HERE), but an entire remake trilogy. Well, the official announcement referred to this as a remake project, anyway. But that might not actually be the case. During a recent interview with CinemaChords’ Howard Gorman, cast member Ema Horvath (The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power) said the trilogy is set “in the same universe” as The Strangers and its follow-up The Strangers: Prey at Night. Which leaves fans to wonder if this is actually a sequel trilogy…

The new Strangers trilogy was filmed in Slovakia. Horvath was joined in the cast by Madelaine Petsch (Riverdale), Froy Gutierrez (Cruel Summer), Rachel Shenton (All Creatures Great and Small), and Gabriel Basso (Hillbilly Elegy). The first entry in the trilogy centers on Petsch’s character as she drives cross-country with her longtime boyfriend (Gutierrez) 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. Lionsgate plans from there to expanding the story in new and unexpected ways with its sequels.

Horvath couldn’t say much about the trilogy during her conversation with CinemaChords because she hasn’t received the PR talking points for it yet, but when she was asked if the new The Strangers is a remake or a sequel, she said, “It’s within the same universe, I’ll say that. It’s a trilogy. It was very fun to shoot and work with (Renny Harlin), and we shot it in Slovakia. I speak the language, so it was a delight to be in that country and work.“

Petsch has previously said that the trilogy is “not exactly a remake because it’s different characters, but it’s the same concept and idea, and I think people will feel like it’s an homage. They’re gonna feel like we handled the material with care and I think [they’re gonna feel] like we’ve dove deeper into it. So if anything, it should make Strangers OG fans really excited because you get more answers, you get more mystery and you get more scares, which is why we watch them.“

This Strangers remake / sequel / homage trilogy is being produced by Courtney Solomon, Mark Canton, Christopher Milburn, Gary Raskin, Charlie Dombeck, and Alastair Birlingham. Andrei Boncea, Dorothy Canton, and Roy Lee serve as executive producers. Rafaella Biscayn, Frame Film SK, Johanna Harlin, Juan Garcia Peredo, and Alberto Burgueno are co-producing.  Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland (Due Date) wrote the screenplays.

Harlin previously provided the following statement: “My mother instilled the love of movies in me through the world of Hitchcock and other masters of suspense and horror. My breakthrough to Hollywood happened with the success of A Nightmare on Elm Street 4. It is only fitting that I get to return to my favorite genre with the incredibly well written trilogy of The Strangers. The characters and the storyline are all grounded in reality and offer me an endless tapestry of haunting visuals in bringing these movies alive.“

What do you think of Renny Harlin’s Strangers trilogy being “within the same universe” as the previous films? Are you looking forward to this trilogy? Let us know by leaving a comment below.