It’s kinda funny to have a third installment of a film franchise called “Chapter 1”. Yet that’s the case with “The Strangers: Chapter 1”, the third film in The Strangers horror series. Directed by Renny Harlin, the film is a prequel to Bryan Bertino’s 2008 first film and is set to be the first of a new trilogy. Harlin shot all three movies in his trilogy over a two month period in 2022. And it sounds like the plan is to release them close together starting in May.

2008’s “The Strangers” was a terrifying horror film and one of the few to genuinely put me on the edge of my seat. Sadly its 2018 sequel was a major letdown. Judging by the first trailer, Harlin’s movies look to tap into the what made the first film so good. Madelaine Petsch and Froy Gutierrez play a couple terrorized by three masked strangers while staying at a remote Airbnb. It’s a simple concept, but one that can be effective if handled well. Will this one deliver the goods? We’ll soon see.

“The Strangers: Chapter 1” hits theaters May 17th. Check out the trailer below and let me know if you’ll be seeing it or taking a pass.