Star of the new Strangers trilogy Madelaine Petsch has responded to complaints that previous Chapters 1 and 2 felt unfinished, and hopes that Chapter 3 will give horror fans the answers they are looking for.
"With the first two films, the biggest complaint I received was 'It doesn't feel like a finished film,'" said Petsch in an interview with SFX Magazine. "And the answer is 'Because it's not!' It's act one, act two, and act three of a giant story. I've never seen that done before, where you're guaranteed three parts of a film that have already been shot but we're not giving you an ending to each one."
Directed by Deep Blue Sea's Renny Harlin, the Strangers trilogy sets out to tell one flowing story over three feature-length films. The first movie, The Strangers – Chapter 1, which hit screens in 2024, acted as a pretty straight reboot of the original 2008 movie. However, the second installment, which dropped in 2025, shook things up by catching up with the final girl after the attack, where she was pulled into the Strangers' world even further.
The reason fans felt that the first two movies were unfinished is that they each ended on cliffhangers with resolution left hanging in the balance. Although Petsch admits that this type of ending "feels a little less satisfying, in the way that audiences are used to being satisfied," she expects Chapter 3 to leave fans thinking, "'Okay, I got the satisfaction I'm looking for…' Hopefully!"
The trilogy hasn't had the easiest road to release, as all three movies were originally supposed to be released just months apart. But due to setbacks and a call for reshoots from Lionsgate, Chapter 2 ended up hitting the big screen one year after Chapter 1. The critical response to the first two movies was not the best either, with Chapter 1 receiving a 21% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and Chapter 2 dropping down to 15%
The Strangers – Chapter 3 will finally see Maya face the Strangers one last time. But now the killers are unmasked, and Pin Up Girl is dead, it seems as though the Strangers want Maya to become one of them. We will have to wait and see which path she chooses. The movie also stars The Night Agent's Gabriel Basso and Ema Horvath.
The Strangers – Chapter 3 hits cinemas on February 6. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.
