[INTERVIEW]: 'THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2' Madelaine Petsch and Courtney Solomon Talk Raising the Stakes

By Klep Napier | WeAreCritiX.com

With The Strangers: Chapter 2 set to stalk theaters on September 26, the creative team behind this chilling new chapter is promising a darker, bolder experience — one that pushes the franchise into truly uncharted territory. When we sat down with star Madelaine Petsch and producer Courtney Solomon, their excitement was electric. Solomon explained that while Chapter 1 served as a reboot and homage, Chapter 2 finally unleashes the full vision they’ve been building toward. “This movie was always designed to be a real exploration of a final girl,” Solomon shared, “someone thrown into something truly horrific over several days and showing how she evolves physically, mentally, emotionally through it.”

Continue reading or visit our YouTube to watch our full interview with Madelaine Petsch and Courtney Solomon.

Solomon also revealed that Chapter 2 is dripping with cinematic horror DNA, nodding to classics while forging its own identity. “There are definitely some horror influences Renny [Harlin] and I discussed, but I feel like we’ve really found our own voice,” he said. Petsch laughed, confirming that Solomon is the walking horror encyclopedia of the set, always ready with references. Solomon teased that while fans may catch subtle Halloween II or The Shining vibes this time around, “if you think there’s Shining in two, it goes way further in three.” That small tease of Chapter 3, which is already in post-production, hints that this new trilogy will only get wilder.

For Petsch, Chapter 2 demanded more than just emotional vulnerability it tested her physically like nothing she’s ever done. Much of the film plays out as one relentless, sprawling chase sequence, and she carried every beat of it. “I’ve never done anything like this in my career,” she said. “We didn’t have much time to prep maybe an hour before shooting and it was just run and gun. I had to track where all my character’s injuries were supposed to be from earlier scenes while creating new ones mid-chase, all while trying to stay present in the terror of it.” The sequence, originally scheduled for two days, ended up being shot in a single frenzied half-day.

That chaotic production only added to the raw intensity Petsch brings on screen. Solomon praised her commitment, revealing how she kept reminding the crew of the impossible task ahead, pushing through exhaustion to make sure the scene landed. “It was actually psychotic of us,” he laughed. “Something like that would normally take three or four days.” The result, according to early buzz, is one of the most elaborate and nerve-shredding chase sequences the franchise has ever seen a high-wire act of tension that never lets up.

Fans who followed Chapter 1 will notice how the puzzle pieces are now coming together. Solomon emphasized that the true story of this trilogy is only now becoming clear. “You really have to see them in order to get the bigger picture,” he told us. And based on what we’ve seen and heard, Chapter 2 not only deepens the terror but sets the stage for a truly shocking Chapter 3.

Catch The Strangers: Chapter 2 when it storms into theaters on September 26, 2025 and brace yourself. The hunt isn’t over yet.