The Black Phone 2 Trailer Rings In a Terrifying Return for Ethan Hawke’s Grabber
A new trailer for The Black Phone 2 has arrived. When The Black Phone arrived in 2021, it became an unexpected hit for Blumhouse and director Scott Derrickson. Adapted from a short story by Joe Hill, the film combined supernatural terror with real-world horror, anchored by an unnerving performance from Ethan Hawke as The Grabber. Now, Universal and Blumhouse are dialling the number again with The Black Phone 2, which is set to release on 17 October 2025. The first official trailer has just been unveiled, promising a sequel that takes the haunting concept to disturbing new levels.
A Killer Returns
The trailer confirms what many fans had hoped, or feared. The Grabber is back. Although Finn (Mason Thames) defeated and killed his abductor four years earlier, the masked predator has returned from beyond the grave, gaining even greater power in death. This time, the nightmare takes on a dreamlike quality reminiscent of A Nightmare on Elm Street, with The Grabber stalking his victims in their sleep and continuing his reign of terror from the other side.
The official synopsis teases a new chapter deeply intertwined with family and legacy:
“Four years ago, 13-year-old Finn killed his abductor and escaped, becoming the sole survivor of The Grabber. But true evil transcends death … and the phone is ringing again. Ethan Hawke returns as The Grabber, seeking vengeance on Finn from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake. Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.”
The Legacy of The Black Phone
The first film, adapted from Joe Hill’s 2004 short story, struck a chord with audiences by blending supernatural elements with the grounded horrors of kidnapping and abuse. Ethan Hawke’s chilling portrayal of The Grabber, complete with interchangeable demonic masks designed by Tom Savini, became instantly iconic. The film grossed over $160 million worldwide on a modest budget, marking it as one of Blumhouse’s most successful releases in recent years.
Its success also reminded audiences of Scott Derrickson’s talent for horror. After directing The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005) and the cult favourite Sinister (2012), Derrickson briefly stepped away from the genre to direct Marvel’s Doctor Strange (2016). Returning to his horror roots with The Black Phone, Derrickson delivered a taut, emotionally resonant thriller that proved his ability to balance scares with substance.
The Team Behind the Sequel
The Black Phone 2 reunites Derrickson with his frequent collaborator C. Robert Cargill, who co-wrote the screenplay. Both men previously teamed up on Sinister and Doctor Strange, making them one of horror’s most reliable creative duos. Joe Hill, son of Stephen King and an acclaimed author in his own right, returns as executive producer, ensuring the adaptation remains faithful to his dark vision.
The returning cast includes Mason Thames as Finn and Madeleine McGraw as Gwen, whose psychic abilities provided some of the first film’s most spine-chilling moments. Ethan Hawke reprises his role as The Grabber, a performance that has already become one of the defining villains of modern horror.
What to Expect
The decision to bring back The Grabber from beyond the grave opens the door to a more surreal, nightmare-driven narrative. Comparisons to Wes Craven’s Elm Street series are already being made, but Derrickson has emphasised in interviews that his focus remains on emotional storytelling as much as scares. By placing Gwen at the centre of the new mystery, the sequel promises to expand on the psychic and supernatural elements that were only hinted at in the first film.
With its October release date, The Black Phone 2 is clearly positioned as one of Blumhouse’s tentpole horror offerings for the Halloween season. Given the strength of the first film and the creative team assembled, expectations are high for another chilling success.
