The Strangers 2 Box Office: Lionsgate Horror Sequel Struggles With $2.4M Friday, Projected $5.5M Weekend Amid Horror’s 2025 Boom

Lionsgate’s The Strangers 2 fails to impress with low box office numbers and a 15% Rotten Tomatoes score.

- September 28, 2025 | 12:19 PM IST

The Strangers 2 Box Office (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The Strangers: Chapter 2 has opened to weak numbers despite the strong year that horror films have enjoyed so far. After a run of hits in 2025, the momentum has slowed with this latest release from Lionsgate, a studio already struggling to find steady success at the box office. Earlier this month, the studio put out The Long Walk, which has collected around $33 million worldwide and may continue to build in the coming weeks. However, the new Strangers sequel looks unlikely to make much headway.

The Strangers 2 Struggles at the Box Office

On Friday, The Strangers 2 earned an estimated $2.4 million (per Box Office Mojo), setting it on course for about $5.5 million across its opening weekend. The numbers fall far short of the previous film, The Strangers: Chapter 1, which had opened with around $12 million and eventually closed with just under $50 million globally. That film too was considered an underperformer when it was released in 2024.

The Strangers 2 Receives Harsh Reviews

The reviews for the new chapter have been very poor. The first installment in Harlin’s reboot holds a 21% score on Rotten Tomatoes, while Chapter 2 has dropped further to 16%. The reception mirrors the earlier complaints of weak storytelling and lack of scares.

The original 2008 film had been a sleeper hit, earning over $80 million worldwide, but the new versions have not been able to match that kind of reception or box office pull.

Horror Movies Dominate 2025 Box Office

The broader horror landscape tells a very different story. Warner Bros. has dominated the year with a series of massive hits. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners has crossed $360 million worldwide, Zach Cregger’s Weapons has earned more than $260 million, Final Destination Bloodlines has passed $300 million, and Michael Chaves’ The Conjuring: Last Rites has gone beyond $400 million. All four releases have strengthened horror’s position in 2025, leaving Lionsgate struggling to keep up as The Strangers 2 barely secures a spot in the weekend’s top five.