The Strangers is a psychological horror film written and directed by Bryan Bertino, featuring Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman as a couple whose vacation is disrupted by three masked intruders who break into their home at night. The screenplay draws inspiration from real-life events, including the Manson family Tate murders and a series of break-ins Bertino experienced in his childhood neighborhood. Released on May 30, 2008, by Rogue Pictures, the film became a sleeper hit, earning $82.4 million worldwide on a $9 million budget. While critics offered mixed reviews—with some praising its atmospheric suspense and psychological elements, others criticizing it for sadism and underdeveloped characters—the film has since developed into a cult classic and received critical reassessment for its minimalist style and exploration of random stranger violence in rural America.