Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
In 2008,The Strangerssurprised many outside the horror community. The very straightforward home invasion movie featured a couple of stars and quickly turned a big profit. However, the middling success of the 2018 sequel left many cold. Despite this,The Strangers: Chapter 1debuts in theaters nationwide this weekend.
Years after the original movie,director Renny Harlintakes over the stalking movies, announcing a trilogy of new films. By more than doubling the existing movies in the franchise, Harlin becomes one of the de facto voices in defining the property. With the trilogy already filmed, some may ask if there’s going to be a teaser forThe Strangers: Chapter 2. The answer is an unequivocal yes.
“I hope they don’t…”: Cliffhanger Director Has One Request for Sylvester Stallone Sequel 31 Years Later
What Happens inThe Strangers: Chapter 1post-credit?
After the traumatic events ofThe Strangers: Chapter 1, Maya (Madelaine Petsch) lies in a hospital bed. We hear the sound of a thunderstorm, and occasional lightning strikes brighten the room. The camera passes over a Get Well Soon Card (“Stay Strong, We Love You!”) from Maya’s friends who had traveled to Greece. As the rain falls, Maya wakes up. As she sits up in the hospital bed, The Man in the Mask lies next to her, unmoving. Maya does not appear to know of his presence.
Scream 6 Review – Still Killing It
What does this mean forThe Strangers: Chapter 2?
The scene clarifies a few things for future Harlin films. First, it confirms that Petsch will return to the role of Maya. This is far from surprising, as many of the pre-release discussions confirmed that the new trilogy will take place over a few days. It’s wise to give us a character to connect with, rather than start from scratch once again.
Another aspect that’s hard to ignore, especially for horror fans, stems from the hospital location. Several franchises have taken this approach in the past. The most notable remainsHalloween, which returned to hospitals to allow Mr. Meyers to go on killing sprees several times over. This also lends some direction for how we think the sequel or this scene may play out.
If Harlin plans to follow the path of 1981’sHalloween II, the Man in the Mask, Dollface, and Pin-Up Girl could stalk Maya through the hospital. This would allow Harlin to increase the kill count drastically and introduce new characters quickly. Additionally, the setting would feel new to the franchise, which could yield fruitful setpieces.
However, this scene may resemble Rob Zombie’s 2009 Halloween II. In Zombie’s version, Laurie Strode runs from Michael for about thirty minutes before it’s revealed that Laurie’s been having nightmares for months. It seems unlikely that months will pass after the events of The Strangers: Chapter 1, but a nightmare is certainly not out of the question. Funny enough, Harlin’s movie already features one of that movie’s alums—Richard Brake. The character actor has very little to do in the first part of the new series. Could Harlin have him take on a larger role in the next film?
(Spoilers) The Marvels Post Credit Scene and 3 Biggest Plot That Will Change MCU Forever
Conclusion
The next Renny HarlinStrangersmovie will focus on Maya in some fashion. Where the story goes may be up in the air. Yet now that Harlin has reset the franchise for a new generation of moviegoers, it could be exciting to see where he takes the killers. With plenty of avenues to explore, what Harlin does over the next two movies will ultimately decide the fate of the franchise. Still, this mid-credit sequence gives us an idea and, hopefully, a setting.
The Strangers: Chapter 1releases in theaters on July 13, 2025.
Follow us for more entertainment coverage onFacebook,Twitter,Instagram, andYouTube.
Alan French
Film/TV Critic
Articles Published :280
Alan French began writing about television and film by covering the Emmys and Oscar beats in 2016. Since then, he has written hundreds of reviews on TV and movies. He attends film festivals regularly. He is a Rotten Tomato-approved critic and is on the committee for the Critics Association of Central Florida.
More from Alan French
Alien: Earth — “Mr. October” — Season 1 Episode 2 Spoiler Recap and Review
Alien: Earth — “Neverland” — Season 1 Episode 1 Spoiler Review and Recap
Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 1 Review — A Gorgeous Return to Inverness
Recommended
Ballad of a Small Player: Everything We Know About the Colin Farrell Movie
These 5 Monster Horror Shows Are Like Alien: Earth, but Better
Brandon Sanderson’s ‘Isles of the Emberdark’ Ending Explained
Aubrey Plaza Says This Miles Teller Horror Movie Defined Her Grief After Husband’s Death
Tobey Maguire And Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Man Era Dies In 2027: Reports
George Lucas vs. Steven Spielberg: The Ultimate Showdown of Hollywood’s Richest Directors
LionsgateRebootSlashersThe Strangers
