Madelaine Petsch and Renny Harlin’s 2024 film has finally arrived on HBO Max. Directed by Harlin, the divisive slasher kicked off a new trilogy and was released in theaters on May 17, 2024.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 begins streaming on HBO Max starting today, August 30, 2026. Its sequel, The Strangers: Chapter 2, arrived on the platform earlier this month. The film follows a young couple whose plans take a terrifying turn when their car breaks down in a remote area.
The film received a largely negative response following its theatrical release. It currently has a 21% Tomatometer score and a 45% Popcornmeter score on Rotten Tomatoes. Despite the reception, the film grossed more than $48 million against an $8.5 million budget.
What is Madelaine Petsch’s The Strangers: Chapter 1 about?
The Strangers: Chapter 1 follows Maya (Petsch) and her boyfriend, Ryan (Froy Gutierrez), as they travel to the Pacific Northwest for Maya’s job interview. Their plans change when their car breaks down near a remote town. With no other option, the couple spends the night in a remote cabin. Their situation quickly becomes dangerous when three masked strangers begin stalking them.
The attackers are known as Scarecrow, Dollface, and Pin-Up Girl. They show no mercy and appear to have no clear motive. Maya struggles to understand why the masked attackers have targeted her and Ryan. As the night continues, the couple must find a way to survive the masked attackers.
Written by Alan R. Cohen and Alan Freedland, the film is based on a story by The Strangers creator Bryan Bertino. It sets up Maya’s story, which continues in The Strangers: Chapter 2 and The Strangers: Chapter 3. Harlin filmed all three chapters consecutively, creating one connected story
Alongside Petsch and Gutierrez, the 2024 slasher also stars Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, and Ella Bruccoleri. It serves as the first chapter in a new The Strangers trilogy.
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