Interview: Madelaine Petsch, Renny Harlin, and more discuss Strangers: Chapter 1

Last Updated on May 24, 2024

When The Strangers trilogy was initially announced I think most of us were intrigued. The concept of filming an entire trilogy back-to-back implies a level of faith in the material. Then hearing that they were going back to the aesthetic of the original piqued my personal interest. After all, the first one is a modern-day horror classic. As someone who didn’t love Prey At Night but has always considered the first to be a great thriller, I was ready to go back into the world of violent home invasion. And The Strangers: Chapter 1 looked to take things back to the basics.

I was fortunate enough to talk to director Renny Harlin, producer Courtney Solomon, and stars Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez about their new film. Knowing what a big horror fan Petsch is, I had to ask what it meant to be a final girl in a major horror franchise. We talked all about the tension-building mayhem of the new trilogy opener. But also plenty of teases for what is to come as there are clearly plenty of tricks up their sleeves. Check out the interview above (which features a special appearance by certain Strangers) and check back Thursday for my review.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 plot synopsis: After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple (Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez) are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive in The Strangers ― Chapter 1, the chilling first entry of this upcoming horror feature-film series.

THE STRANGERS – Chapter 1 will be available in theaters nationwide on May 17, 2024