‘The Strangers: Chapter 1’ Just Had the Highest Domestic Horror Opening of the Year

The bar wasn’t very high to clear, but Lionsgate’s The Strangers: Chapter 1 did manage to break a box office record here in 2024, achieving the highest opening weekend at the domestic box office out of any horror movie released this year… so far. This despite largely negative reviews, once again proving that the horror genre is as review-proof as it comes.

The Strangers: Chapter 1 debuted with $11.83M at the domestic box office in 2,856 locations, just barely topping Blumhouse’s Night Swim to rip the crown off the top of its head.

Here’s the full lineup of domestic opening weekends for horror this year…

• The Strangers: Chapter 1 – $11.8 million
• Night Swim – $11.7 million
• Abigail – $10.2 million
• Imaginary – $9.9 million
• The First Omen – $8.3 million
• Tarot – $6.5 million
• Immaculate – $5.3 million
• Lisa Frankenstein – $3.6 million

For further context and comparison, 2018’s The Strangers: Prey at Night opened to $10.4 million before making $31 million worldwide, a number Chapter 1 may eventually reach.

The good news for Lionsgate is that the production budget for The Strangers: Chapter 1 was a reported $8.5 million, so there’s a good chance this one will soon be profitable. But is it enough to justify theatrical releases for both Chapter 2 and Chapter 3, which will continue Chapter 1‘s storyline and have already been filmed? Or will Lionsgate pivot to a streaming release?

These are the questions we can’t help but ponder today. Stay tuned for more.

Madelaine Petsch (“Riverdale”), Froy Gutierrez (Hocus Pocus 2), Rachel Shenton (The Silent Child), Ema Horvath (“Rings of Power”) and Gabe Basso (Hillbilly Elegy) star.

Here’s the full official synopsis: “After their car breaks down in an eerie small town, a young couple are forced to spend the night in a remote cabin. Panic ensues as they are terrorized by three masked strangers who strike with no mercy and seemingly no motive.”

Renny Harlin directed The Strangers: Chapter 1.