The Strangers – Chapter 3 is (naturally) the fifth feature in the nearly two-decade old horror franchise and it opens February 6th. To add more context, it is the culmination of this specific trilogy in the series from director Renny Harlin. Chapter 1 arrived in 2024 with Chapter 2 dropping only four months ago. Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, and Richard Brake star.
In 2008, the first Strangers (as in very first) was a sleeper hit that made $20 million in weekend #1 and $52 million domestically. None of the three follow-ups have matched it. 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night barely topped $10 million out of the gate with just under $25 million stateside. Chapter 1 managed nearly $12 million and an overall tally of $35 million. Chapter 2 easily saw franchise lows with a $5.8 million start and $15 million total.
Diminishing returns could certainly continue. I see no valid argument why this would top its predecessor and I’ll put it about a million below.
The Strangers – Chapter 3 opening weekend prediction: $4.9 million
The Strangers – Chapter 2 finds its home in multiplexes on September 26th. The Lionsgate effort is the follow-up to last year’s (you guessed it) The Strangers: Chapter 1. Why they went with a hyphen this time around instead of the predecessor’s colon remains a compelling mystery. Renny Harlin returns in the director’s chair with Madelaine Petsch, Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath starring.
Marking the fourth overall pic in the franchise that began in 2008, this chapter will hope to keep pace with what 2024’s entry accomplished. It opened to $11.8 million with a $35 million eventual domestic take. There could be diminishing returns (a horror movie eventually has to underperform… right?) and this could be the first Strangers not to exceed $10 million in its debut.
The Strangers – Chapter 2 opening weekend prediction: $6.7 million
For my One Battle After Another prediction, click here:
Three and a half decades ago, Renny Harlin helmed the horror sequel A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master. He’s back in the genre with The Strangers: Chapter 1 on May 17th. It is the third feature in the franchise and the first of a trilogy that are all slated to hit multiplexes this year. Madelaine Petsch (best known for Riverdale), Froy Gutierrez, Rachel Shenton, Gabriel Basso, and Ema Horvath star.
In late May of 2008, The Strangers was a sleeper hit with a $20.9 million debut and $54.5 million overall domestic gross. A decade later, follow-up The Strangers: Prey at Night suffered diminished returns with a $10.4 million start and $24.3 million total.
Lionsgate is taking a gamble with their release strategy of chapter 2 and 3 shortly following. There’s a decent chance it won’t pay off. Scary movies have struggled in 2024. Titles like Night Swim, Imaginary, Immaculate, The First Omen, Abigail, and Tarot have either barely topped $10 million or come in below that figure. I figure The Strangers may experience a similar fate.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 opening weekend prediction: $9.1 million
We have arrived at part 3 of summer nostalgia looking over the cinematic seasons from 30, 20, and 10 years ago. If you missed my posts on 1988 and 1998, you can find them here:
This brings us to 2008. It was a vaunted superhero summer to be sure and there’s some humdingers for our flops. Here are the top ten moneymakers in addition to other notables and bombs.
10. The Incredible Hulk
Domestic Gross: $134 million
The second feature in the Marvel Cinematic Universe found Edward Norton taking on the angry green giant from Eric Bana. While better received than Ang Lee’s Hulk, it was mostly met with a shrug and Mark Ruffalo would take over the part four years later in The Avengers. It stands at lowest earner of the MCU.
9. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Domestic Gross: $141 million
The follow-up to 2005’s The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe made less than half of what that picture achieved. Like Hulk, it may have placed in the top ten, but it was considered a bit of a disappointment.
8. Mamma Mia!
Domestic Gross: $144 million
The ABBA infused comedic musical was a major sleeper hit and its sequel hits theaters this Friday.
7. Sex and the City
Domestic Gross: $152 million
Fans of the HBO series turned out in droves for the big screen treatment. A sequel two years later yielded less impressive returns.
6. Kung Fu Panda
Domestic Gross: $215 million
Dreamworks Animation found itself a franchise with this animal fest led by Jack Black. Two sequels have followed.
5. WALL-E
Domestic Gross: $223 million
Yet another critically lauded effort from the money minting machine that is Disney/Pixar, this would take home Best Animated Feature at the Oscars.
4. Hancock
Domestic Gross: $227 million
Despite mostly negative reviews, this superhero effort proved Will Smith’s potency at the box office. Director Peter Berg has mostly moved to true life dramas with Mark Wahlberg.
3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Domestic Gross: $317 million
Nearly 20 years after The Last Crusade, Harrison Ford’s iconic hero returned and teamed up with Shia LaBeouf. Critics and audiences had their issues with it, but Indy is slated to come back again in 2021 (when Mr. Ford will almost be 80).
2. Iron Man
Domestic Gross: $318 million
It’s crazy to think now, but the idea of casting Robert Downey Jr. as a superhero less known than Batman or Superman was considered risky business at the time. We know what followed… the Marvel Cinematic Universe. This started it all.
1. The Dark Knight
Domestic Gross: $533 million
The sequel to Batman Begins turned into a genuine phenomenon with Heath Ledger’s incredible work as The Joker and an experience that has influenced numerous franchises since.
And now for some other notables of summer 2008:
Get Smart
Domestic Gross: $130 million
Steve Carell experienced a box office bomb the summer prior with Evan Almighty. He got back into the good graces of audiences with this big screen rendering of the 1960s TV series alongside Anne Hathaway.
Tropic Thunder
Domestic Gross: $110 million
Ben Stiller’s comedy was a hit with crowds and critics. Robert Downey Jr. earned an Oscar nod for his work here and we see Tom Cruise as never before.
Step Brothers
Domestic Gross: $100 million
It didn’t make as much as Adam McKay and Will Ferrell’s previous collaboration two summers earlier, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby. However, this has achieved serious cult status in following years.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Domestic Gross: $75 million
Guillermo del Toro’s sequel managed to out gross its predecessor and it was another critically hailed comic book adaptation in a summer filled with them. A reboot of the franchise with David Harbour comes next year.
The Strangers
Domestic Gross: $52 million
This low-budget horror flick turned into a sleeper. A sequel was released this March.
This brings us to the flops…
The Happening
Domestic Gross: $64 million
M. Night Shyamalan had his first flop two summers earlier with Lady in the Water. This one focused on killer trees with a lackluster performance from Mark Wahlberg. Audiences were laughing at it more than frightened by it. The director has since rebounded with Split.
Speed Racer
Domestic Gross: $43 million
This was the Wachowskis first picture since the Matrix trilogy and it fell far under expectations at the box office and with critics.
The Love Guru
Domestic Gross: $32 million
Mike Myers couldn’t make this creation anywhere near as iconic as Wayne Campbell or Austin Powers. Moviegoers simply ignored Pitka.
The X-Files: I Want to Believe
Domestic Gross: $20 million
Ten summers after the first adaptation of the FOX show did well at theaters, audiences didn’t want to believe in its long gestating sequel.
Meet Dave
Domestic Gross: $11 million
This sci-fi comedy was a massive bomb for Eddie Murphy, making a small percentage of its reported $60 million budget.
And that does it for my recaps of the summer! You can be sure I’ll be back next season covering 1989, 1999, and 2009.
It’s been nearly a decade since Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman were terrorized by sadistic home invaders in TheStrangers. The horror flick turned into an unexpected hit early in the summer of 2008 with a $20 million opening and $52 million overall domestic gross.
With a new cast and director in tow, long gestating sequel TheStrangers: PreyatNight enters theaters next weekend. Johannes Roberts, who directed his own surprise hit 47MetersDown just last summer, is behind the camera with a cast led by Christina Hendricks and Martin Henderson.
The question here is rather simple: will audiences have enough of a memory or fondness for the original to turn up? The horror genre has certainly seen its share of impressive performers lately and it could potentially fill the market niche.
That said, I’m skeptical. I’ll estimate that Prey earns less than half of what its predecessor accomplished some 10 years ago.
TheStrangers: PreyatNight opening weekend prediction: $7.9 million
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