The Strangers: Chapter 1 has quite the cliffhanger of an ending that perfectly sets up the forthcoming sequel, Chapter 2.
For the most part, this new film was a faithful retelling of the original 2008 movie starring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman.
Madeline Petsch and Froy Gutierrez get to portray the leading victims, whose night in an Airbnb doesn't go according to plan after they receive a knock on their door asking if Tamara is home in the 2024 film. Needless to say, the story is not a happy one—though it is at least a touch more hopeful than the first.
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What Happens at the End of The Strangers: Chapter 1
Warning - the rest of this article contains spoilers for The Strangers: Chapter 1.
For the most part, the ending result of The Strangers: Chapter 1 is the same as it was back in the 2008 original.
After a prolonged chase scene in the foggy woods surrounding the property, Maya and Gregory are inevitably captured by The Strangers. Both eventually wake up tied to chairs with their terrorizers standing before them.
After telling the couple that they are doing this basically because they can, they stab Gregory and kick his chair over. Without much hesitation, Maya is in line turn to get the same treatment.
With both of them bleeding out on the floor, The Strangers hear the cops coming. They decide to take their queue and leave the scene of the crime.
The next thing audiences see is Maya alive in a hospital bed at night. While Gabriel’s status is unknown, it is safe to assume he didn't make it like in the original movie.
The real cliffhanger happens in the post-credits tag, which sees the audience back with Maya in the hospital bed as she wakes up. She starts to lean to sit up, but the camera doesn't follow.
Instead, it stays stationary, revealing the Man in the Mask lying beside her in the bed somehow (or at least awkwardly having been crouching or sitting next to the bed). Audiences are left to ponder the logistics behind the scenario as the movie fully cuts to black and ends.
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How Does The Ending Set Up Chapter 2?
There’s one thing on many viewers minds after seeing how the movie ends: this feels a lot like a setup akin to Halloween 2.
The original sequel to the 1978 classic slasher saw Michael Myers hunting Laurie Strode through a hospital after she just barely survived her first encounter with The Shape. For now, it feels like Madelaine Petsch’s Maya is about to go through something similar but with three masked psychos instead.
Since the actress has all but confirmed she will be starring in all three Chapters of this reboot, odds are high that Maya will be just fine. Perhaps Chapter 3 will turn out to be a revenge film.
Audiences still have lots of lore building to look forward to, including what is up with the strange town and its even odder inhabitants. Fans will also likely finally meet the three people behind The Strangers themselves—which not everyone wants.
The Strangers: Chapter 1 is now playing in theaters worldwide, while Chapter 2 is expected sometime this fall.
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