In the current media landscape, any proven idea is a better option than a new one. While the 2008 horror movie The Strangers was not a hit with critics, and its box office was nothing that would have impressed most people, it had a budget that was the Hollywood equivalent of financing it out of the change found in the couch cushions. This means that its less-than-impressive box office was still enough to make the film’s money back several times over. In Hollywood terms this is a success, which means a sequel is only a matter of time, and now we know exactly how much time.
The Strangers 2 has been given an official release date of Dec 2, 2016. The sequel will follow a family with a troubled daughter attempting to bond on a family vacation together. They arrive at a mobile home park run by an uncle, only to find him dead at the hands of The Strangers from the first film, Pin-Up Girl, Dollface, and The Man in the Mask. According to The Wrap, Marcel Langenegger was previously on board to direct the film though it’s been awhile since we’ve heard anything in that regard so it’s possible things have changed behind the camera.
The new film is actually a big deal for Relativity Studios as it is currently set to be their first film to go into production following their high profile bankruptcy earlier this year. The studio has also been working on a reboot of The Crow for years, which they state is still a high priority and is likely to follow The Strangers 2 into production shortly, with the studio reportedly eyeing a March release. The one major hindrance to that is the fact that the film has no star at the moment. Bradley Cooper, Luke Evans, and Jack Huston have all been attached at various times but the repeated delays have forced each to drop out in turn.
A studio with the problems that Relativity has had this year needs a movie that had the success that The Strangers achieved. While the movie only grossed about $50 million domestically in 2008, a number that’s lower than most film budgets these days, its budget was only $9 million, making it incredibly profitable for the studio. This makes the sequel a very attractive concept for a studio dealing with bankruptcy. The studio had a handful of additional movies which had their releases held during the bankruptcy as well that will finally see the light of day next year. Kate Beckinsale’s The Disappointments Room will be out March 25 while Before I Wake with Kate Bosworth and Thomas Jane will be out April 8.
