Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Black Phone!
Ethan Hawke is back as the Grabber inThe Black Phone 2, with the latest CinemaCon footage making the sequel seem like a twist on this classic 41-year-old horror franchise. While the firstThe Black Phonedid have some supernatural elements, it was a fairly grounded film, withthe Grabber not having any magical or mystical abilities. However, the first footage fromThe Black Phone 2teases that this may be changing, with him now being similar to one of cinema’s most iconic slasher monsters.
2021’sThe Black Phonewas a massive success, with Scott Derrickson adapting Joe Hill’s 2004 kidnapping short story.The Black Phone 2was announced in November 2023, with Mason Thames set to reprise his role as the first film’s protagonist, Finney. There have been a lot of questions surroundingThe Black Phone 2’s storydue to the Grabber’s death at the end of the first film. However, CinemaCon 2025 has revealed that this won’t be a problem.
The Grabber’s The Black Phone 2 Return After Dying Makes Him More Like The Nightmare On Elm Street’s Freddy Krueger
He Will Haunt His Victims After His Death
Footage ofThe Black Phone 2was shown as CinemaCon 2025, whichScreen Rantwas in attendance at, and descriptions of the footage prove that the Grabber is back. According to these descriptions, the footage shows Finney answering a phone call from the Grabber, who says “Hello Finney. Did you think our story was over? You of all people know that death is just a word.” This means that the Grabber is alive again inThe Black Phone 2, which is shocking considering that Finney killed him at the end ofThe Black Phone.
The Black Phone Cast Guide: Who Plays Every Character
The Black Phone is the latest horror flick from director Scott Derrickson and Blumhouse Productions. Here is a complete cast and character guide.
The fact that the Grabber is back from the dead makes him surprisingly similar to Freddy Krueger fromThe Nightmare on Elm Streetmovies. Like Krueger, death can’t stop the Grabber from haunting his young victim. Plus,the mystery surrounding his backstory and his sadistic motivations make him not too far offfromThe Nightmare on Elm Street’s dream stalker.
He Is Seemingly Unstoppable
Having the Grabber come back to life inThe Black Phone 2actually makes the killer so much more terrifying. In the first film, the Grabber was much stronger and deadlier than Finney. However, at least audiences knew that Finney couldend things by killing the Grabber.
Revealing that death can’t stop the Grabber is terrifying, as it seems like there may be no way to stop him. Even if Finney finds a way to kill him again, there is always the chance that the Grabber could come back to life, making the story ofThe Black Phone 2all the more tense.
