If you haven’t heard, the sequel to The Strangers - Chapter 1, a reboot of the original The Strangers (2008) film, premiered on Friday, Sept. 26. While it may have its fans, The Strangers - Chapter 2 did not improve on the already shaky reputation of its predecessor. It currently holds low critical and audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes, and has not left critics or audiences feeling confident in the upcoming The Strangers - Chapter 3.
Chapter 2 picks up with Maya (Madelaine Petsch) recovering in the hospital after a brutal night trying to evade three masked killers. Of course, her ordeal isn’t over, as she soon realizes that her attackers are stalking her, referred to in the reboot as Pin-Up Girl, Dollface, and Scarecrow (previously known as Man in the Mask). She tries to flee the hospital, only to encounter more dangers and obstacles in her frantic escape.
Whether you loved or hated Chapter 2, if you saw it then you are likely a fan of the home invasion, serial killer, and thriller genres. If you wanted more out of your The Strangers viewing experience, there are plenty of films to turn to as we head into spooky season.
Black Christmas (1974)
Don’t let the holiday setting fool you — Black Christmas is not your average, cheesy Christmas slasher. During winter break, sorority sisters are plagued by anonymous phone calls. These calls escalate from laughable to grotesque as time goes on. It’s not long until some of the girls go missing, forcing Jess (Olivia Hussey) to take control of her house and find the mystery caller before it’s too late. However, there may be a murderer closer to her than she suspects.
Black Christmas is one of the best early examples of the crossover between a slasher and a home invasion film. A franchise like The Strangers would certainly take its cues from this 1970s classic, which has significant and chilling scares. The maniacal sounds of the mystery caller are genuinely upsetting — each new phone call creates a pit of dread in your stomach, made even worse by the chilling lack of a reasonable motive for a killer to target these girls. Black Christmas makes an excellent case for the now widespread popularity of caller ID because you never know where the call might come from.
The Dark and the Wicked (2020)
While The Dark and the Wicked is not the same genre as The Strangers, director Bryan Bertino brought the original 2008 film to our movie screens. The Dark and the Wicked focuses on two siblings, Louise (Marin Ireland) and Michael (Michael Abbot Jr.), as they confront the dark realities of their familial farm. The siblings go back to their parents’ farm when it appears that their father is succumbing to his illness, but the end up facing a dark supernatural entity that has taken their family in its clutches.
As those who love the original The Strangers know, a Bertino film is not for the faint of heart. The Dark and the Wicked doesn’t pull its punches as it explores the depths of family trauma and the evil that resides there. This film offers another spin on the idea that sometimes bad things happen to people who happen to be home, but this time the danger is even more impossible to escape. Be prepared to be sleeping with the lights on for a little while after the conclusion of The Dark and the Wicked.
Funny Games (2007)
Alternatively, if you prefer a foreign film, you can check out the original 1997 German film that inspired this American remake. They both follow the same plot, which centers on the horrible crimes committed against an affluent, picture-perfect family. Ann (Naomi Watts), George (Tim Roth), and their son Georgie (Devon Gearhart) are on vacation when two seemingly clean-cut young men approach them. Paul (Michael Pitt) and Peter (Brady Corbet) enter the family’s lake house under the guise of borrowing an egg, but their innocent facade soon morphs into horrific violence.
While they don’t wear masks and do nothing but yap, Paul and Peter are just as vicious, cunning, and single-mindedly brutal as Dollface, Man in the Mask, and Pin-Up Girl in The Strangers. Funny Games also incorporates some commentary on an audience that craves such violence, allowing Paul and Peter to break the fourth wall and involve us in their dark crimes. While I have mixed feelings about both versions of Funny Games (I like the concept and meta aspects, but they are a bit too mean-spirited for my personal tastes), it’s an excellent follow-up for fans of The Strangers.
Night of the Reaper (2025)
2025's most recent '80s throwback horror film is not one to sleep on. Deena (Jessica Clement) visits home not long after the brutal murder of a local babysitter, which has left her hometown reeling. On the same night that she gets roped into watching his son for the night, Sheriff Rodney (Ryan Robbins) receives the first of several clues about the killer’s identity. It seems that history might repeat itself unless all of the clues are found and the killer is brought to justice.
While Night of the Reaper may not have the same punch as The Strangers franchise, it’s a solid new thriller that keeps you guessing. The masked killer has a unique theatrical flair and a mysterious motivation, which may or may not reveal itself by the end. Plus, we get to see the newest victim stand her ground and fight back, much like the almost absurdly scrappy protagonist of The Strangers: Chapter 2. While Night of the Reaper might be a more cozy film experience, it’s sure to satisfy those who love the genre.
Summer of '84 (2018)
Over the past 10 years, 13 teenage boys have disappeared from Cape May, Oregon. Davey (Graham Verchere), a conspiracy-driven teenager, becomes convinced that his neighbor, Wayne (Rich Sommer), is the serial killer responsible for these disappearances. Of course, it’s hard to convince anyone of this because Wayne is also a local police officer and an upstanding community member. Determined to prove his theory, he pulls his friends Woody (Caleb Emery), Curtis (Cory Gruter-Andrew), and Tommy (Judah Lewis) into an investigation that will change the course of their lives forever.
Summer of '84 is an excellent pairing with The Strangers because it’s full of surprises. Once you think you have it pinned down, it suddenly shifts into shocking territory that leads to a devastating conclusion. Like many other films on this list, it doesn’t hold back once it gets going. Summer of '84 may be one of those hidden gems you missed when it first came out, so if you haven’t seen it yet, you should add it to your next movie night lineup and brace for impact.
Us (2019)
Jordan Peele’s follow-up to Get Out leans into home invasion genre conventions to help up the scares. Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’o) reluctantly takes a trip back to her childhood beachfront home with her husband (Winston Duke), son (Evan Alex), and daughter (Shahadi Wright Joseph). A traumatic event in her past has kept her away from her hometown for many years, and she is afraid that returning will cause something terrible to happen. Her anxieties prove to be premonitions when four masked strangers threateningly approach the home.
While Us winds up somewhere more metaphorical and mystical than anything in The Strangers franchise, it chillingly depicts a home invasion unlike any other. Early on, each masked attacker is revealed to be an exact doppleganger of each family member, adding a unique mystery to the standard thriller formula. Nyong’o gives the performance of a lifetime, as Adelaide and her copy, Red, go to places of extreme violence throughout the film. Us is a unique escalation of themes The Strangers touches on throughout its various films.
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