The Grabber Returns in First Look at ‘Black Phone 2’

Universal and Blumhouse have released the first trailer for Black Phone 2, confirming the horror sequel will open in cinemas on 17 October. Returning writer-director Scott Derrickson reunites with co-writer C. Robert Cargill for the follow-up to their 2022 breakout hit, which grossed over $160 million worldwide and became one of Blumhouse’s most profitable titles of the decade. This time, the terror extends beyond the grave, with Ethan Hawke reprising his chilling role as The Grabber.

Set four years after the events of the original, Black Phone 2 finds Finn (Mason Thames), now 17, struggling with life after his traumatic escape from the sadistic abductor. While he tries to move forward, his younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) becomes the target of a new wave of horrors, as the mysterious black phone begins to ring again, this time, in her dreams.

As Gwen receives disturbing visions involving a trio of boys being hunted at a snowbound camp called Alpine Lake, the siblings are forced to confront the reality that The Grabber may not have stayed buried with his secrets. What begins as a supernatural puzzle becomes something far more personal when Gwen uncovers connections between the killer and their own family history.

The sequel expands the scope of Joe Hill’s original concept, blending psychological horror with a more mythic exploration of death and vengeance. Derrickson has promised a darker, more emotionally complex film, with Hawke’s character re-emerging in an otherworldly form to torment the survivors. “Dead is just a word,” reads the tagline, hinting at the metaphysical dimension to The Grabber’s return.

New additions to the cast include Demián Bichir as the caretaker of Alpine Lake, with Arianna Rivas playing his niece. Miguel Mora appears as the brother of one of the Grabber’s past victims, and Jeremy Davies returns as Finn and Gwen’s deeply troubled father. Also joining are Maev Beaty and Graham Abbey in undisclosed roles.

The original Black Phone became an unexpected box office success following a staggered post-pandemic theatrical recovery, praised for its tension, emotional depth, and Hawke’s haunting performance. The film earned multiple awards, including Best Horror Film at the Saturn Awards and the Hollywood Critics Association, as well as a Bram Stoker Award for screenwriting.

With the sequel reuniting key creative forces and expanding the story’s supernatural mythology, expectations are high. The trailer promises another grim descent into fear and trauma, but with a renewed focus on legacy, survival and confronting evil in its most enduring form.

Black Phone 2 will open exclusively in cinemas from 17 October.

Black Phone 2 trailer