In the wake of Saw XI losing its release date, the Strangers are coming up fast to claim it. Lionsgate has announced that The Strangers: Chapter 2, starring Madeleine Petsch, will now premiere in theaters on September 26, and have just released the first image of the Riverdale star in the upcoming sequel, which serves as the second part in the trilogy attempting to relaunch the cult classic home invasion franchise for a new audience.
The image isn’t much, just a simple shot of a bloodied Petsch giving the camera her best Kubrick stare, but the news that Chapter 2 will be taking over Saw XI’s planned release date is huge, especially in the wake of reported production issues holding the slasher franchise back. The film is set to be directed by Renny Harlin, from a script by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, with producers Courtney Solomon, Mark Canton, Christopher Milburn, Gary Raskin, Alastair Burlingham, and Charlie Dombek.
“I promise that we’re making The Strangers: Chapter 2 as terrifying as possible, and I can’t wait to show you on September 26,” said Petsch, with producers Courtney Solomon and Mark Canton adding, “Like Strangers fans everywhere, we’re thrilled for Chapter 2 — it’s the kind of film that’ll have audiences watching through their fingers. Bringing it to theaters this Halloween season feels perfect, and we can’t wait for everyone to see where the story goes next.”
The Strangers originally began as a standalone home invasion horror film in 2008, written and directed by Bryan Bertino — supposedly “based on a true story,” though that was later debunked — and starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman. It was followed up by a sequel, The Strangers: Prey at Night, in 2018, starring Christina Hendricks and Lewis Pullman, before the series was “relaunched” with the new trilogy that began last year with The Strangers: Chapter 1.
The Strangers: Chapter 2 premieres in theaters on September 26. Stay tuned to FANGORIA for more updates.
