Maddock Horror Comedy Universe is an Indian shared universe consisting of Hindi-language supernaturalcomedy horror films created by Maddock Films. All films in this universe are based on Indian folklore.[1] The first installment, Stree, was released as a standalone film. The universe-building began with Bhediya, in which characters from Stree appeared. This was followed by Munjya, where characters from Bhediya and Stree appeared. Stree 2 continued by featuring characters from Bhediya, making Bhediya the central link connecting all three films.[2]
The first installment of the franchise is directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Raj & DK. It stars Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, alongside Pankaj Tripathi, Aparshakti Khurana and Abhishek Banerjee. The plot is inspired by the urban legend Nale Ba, which means "come tomorrow" in Kannada, adapted in the film as "O Stree Kal Aana" (oh woman, come tomorrow) in the film.[3][4]Stree was theatrically released worldwide on 31 August 2018 and received positive reviews. The film grossed over ₹180 crore at the box office against a budget of ₹23–25 crore, becoming a box-office success. The film received ten nominations at the 64th Filmfare Awards and won Best Debut Director for Kaushik.[5]
The third installment was directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Amar Kaushik. The film stars Sharvari, Abhay Verma, Sathyaraj and Mona Singh. The titular character was created using CGI. Additionally, characters from Bhediya made cameo appearances in the film, including Varun Dhawan and Abhishek Banerjee. The film is based on folklore from Konkan that depicts a mischievous spirit named Munjya from Marathi tradition, which haunts peepal trees or wells. This spirit arises when a man dies unmarried between his thread ceremony and marriage ritual and often causes disturbances to fulfil his unfulfilled desires. Munjya was theatrically released on 7 June 2024, garnering mixed reviews. The film grossed over ₹132 crore worldwide against a production budget of ₹30 crore and became one of the highest-grossing Hindi films of 2024.[9][10]
The fourth installment and direct sequel to Stree was directed by Amar Kaushik and produced by Dinesh Vijan and Jyoti Deshpande. The film stars Rajkummar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee and Aparshakti Khurana. The story follows the events after Stree, where the small town of Chanderi is haunted by a beheaded creature, "Sarkata", who is abducting women. Stree 2 was theatrically released on 15 August 2024. The film received positive reviews from critics and has grossed over ₹787.8 crore at the box office against a production budget of ₹50–120 crore.[a][11]
The sixth installment in the franchise, it is directed by Ajitpal Singh and will star Kiara Advani in the lead role.[15] The film is scheduled to release on 31 December 2025.[16]
Bhediya 2 (2026)
The seventh installment and a sequel to Bhediya, titled Bhediya 2, is in the pipeline, with Amar Kaushik returning as the director and Varun Dhawan reprising his role. While the project has been officially announced, the makers are still in the pre-production phase, and principal photography has not yet started. The film is set to release on 14 August 2026, coinciding with Independence Day.[17][18]
Chamunda (2026)
The eighth installment in the franchise. It is scheduled to release on 4 December 2026.[19]
Stree 3 (2027)
The ninth installment in the franchise and a sequel to Stree 2. The film will feature Akshay Kumaras the main antagonist, reprising his role from his appearance in Stree 2. Producer Dinesh Vijan confirmed that Stree 3 was already written.[20][21] Director Amar Kaushik mentioned it would take three years to produce.[22][23]
Maha Munjya (2027)
The tenth installment in the franchise and a sequel to Munjya. The film is scheduled to release on 24 December 2027, coinciding with Christmas.[24]
Pehla Mahayudh (2028)
The eleventh installment in the franchise, Pehla Mahayudh, will serve as the first part of the two-part finale for the current phase of the franchise. The story will continue and conclude in the twelfth installment, titled Doosara Mahayudh, releasing later in the same year. Pehla Mahayudh will feature characters from all previous films in the franchise and is scheduled to release on 11 August 2028.[25]
Doosara Mahayudh (2028)
The twelfth installment in the franchise, Doosara Mahayudh, will serve as the conclusion to the two-part finale of the current phase of the franchise. Picking up directly from the events of Pehla Mahayudh, the film will bring together characters from all previous installments for a climactic showdown. Doosara Mahayudh is scheduled to release on 18 October 2028.[26]
Characters
This table lists the characters connected across the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe.
^Hungama, Bollywood (16 August 2024). "Stree 2 Box Office Collection". Bollywood Hungama. Archived from the original on 16 August 2024. Retrieved 16 August 2024.
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