The horror genre was revitalized when Scott Derrickson directed The Black Phone, a suspenseful tale featuring a young boy, Finn, struggling to escape the clutch of a sinister serial killer known as the Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke. The Ethan Hawke Black Phone Grabber quickly became iconic, drawing in audiences with his chilling persona. After The Black Phone 2 saw much of its original cast return—despite the Grabber’s apparent demise in the first film— fans speculated about the future of the franchise and the return of this modern horror villain. With the recent home release of Black Phone 2, Derrickson discussed the possibility of a sequel in extensive interviews, and addressed what makes the character and franchise resonate so strongly.
Black Phone 2: Revival of Finn, Gwen, and the Grabber
Set years after the first film, Black Phone 2 picks up with Finn and Gwen, now in high school, as they are mysteriously drawn to a Christian youth camp during winter. The location, Alpine Lake, harbors its own grim secrets, setting up a chilling new scenario. Despite the definitive ending given to Finn, Gwen, and the Grabber, conversations quickly reignited about the chance of a third film. Scott Derrickson has not ruled out Black Phone 3, but insists that any return must offer a distinct and compelling narrative twist.
“There certainly can be more. But again, there doesn’t have to be. If there is to be more, there has to be a reason for it. I enjoy franchises. I think I’ve seen every Halloween movie, and that’s a lot. I saw every Elm Street movie. So, part of it is the delight of going back to characters or to iconic villains that you’re interested in seeing again. But for me, I’m interested in seeing more audaciously fresh takes that are surprising. I think that the response to this movie, the majority of the audience loved it because it was so different. Now, some people took issue with it or didn’t like it because it was so different, and that’s okay. I understand if you wanted to see something closer to the first film. That’s fine, but that doesn’t interest me. So, if there’s going to be a Black Phone 3, it would have to be another big pivot. Otherwise, I don’t see the point of making it.”
– Scott Derrickson, Director
Though no immediate plans for a third installment have been announced, Derrickson makes it clear that future films must stand out on their own, similar to how Black Phone 2 shifted tone and concept from the original. The effectiveness of these narrative pivots has fueled both critical and popular interest in what might come next.
Revisiting the Horror Roots: How Derrickson Used Dream Sequences and Setting in Black Phone 2
Derrickson, who established a reputation with films like Sinister, brought his signature Super 8 style and unsettling dream sequences back in Black Phone 2, transporting audiences into a blend of reality and nightmare. The creative decision to use distinctive visual and sonic cues was deliberate, aiming to differentiate dream states from waking life and pay homage to classic horror techniques.
Dreams and reality remain clearly delineated, separating Black Phone 2 from classics like Nightmare on Elm Street, which blurred the boundaries between sleep and wakefulness. Derrickson wanted to give clarity to viewers: when Gwen is in a dream, it is visually and sonically unmistakable. The use of analog sound—reminiscent of an optical film track or static on a vinyl record—adds to the overall eeriness of the atmosphere. Specific Super 8 film stocks were handpicked for various dream sequences, with careful research into their color and light properties to achieve unique emotional tones throughout Gwen’s visions.
Why Ethan Hawke Was Chosen to Play the Grabber
The decision to cast Ethan Hawke as the Grabber was not preordained, but became central as the film developed. Derrickson needed
“an actor who’s good, but I’ve got to get an actor with a distinctive voice and a memorable voice and a powerful voice.”
Hawke’s presence, influenced by his memorable voice and capacity for layered performances, elevated the Grabber to more than a stereotypical villain; he became a complex, disturbing figure now ingrained in horror culture. Hawke’s mask work, inspired by theatrical traditions, allowed him to use facial concealment not only as a visual device but as an in-depth character study.
“I’ve got to get an actor who’s good, but I’ve got to get an actor with a distinctive voice and a memorable voice and a powerful voice.”
– Scott Derrickson, Director
The film’s mask, which splits and transforms rather than simply coming on and off, became a key to the character’s psyche—a totem that the Grabber depended upon for identity and power, as seen in both films’ climactic moments. Even as his physical body is weakened or threatened, the Grabber clings to his mask as if it were his own face. Derrickson credits inspirations from Bob Dylan, noting:
“If somebody wears a mask, they’re going to tell you the truth.”
In both films, this principle informs the Grabber’s behavior, suggesting that Hawke’s villain only feels truly authentic and threatening when masked or disguised.
“If somebody wears a mask, they’re going to tell you the truth.”
– Bob Dylan, quoted by Scott Derrickson
Artistic Influences and Personal Experiences Behind Black Phone 2
Black Phone 2 draws on an array of horror influences, including Nightmare on Elm Street and The Shining, as well as Derrickson’s firsthand experiences attending both summer and winter camps in Colorado. Notably, Derrickson points out that he had never witnessed a “winter camp movie” before, making the setting both a creative novelty and a personal homage. The camp setting also invokes the tradition of horror films set in secluded or isolated spaces, reminiscent of early 1980s genre classics.
“Are they asleep or are they not asleep? Is it real? Is it a dream?”
– Scott Derrickson, Director
The storyline also integrates elements of religious tension: the Christian youth camp environment creates a complex backdrop where characters encounter kindness, self-righteousness, and oppression in equal measure. This thematic layer draws directly from Derrickson’s own adolescent experiences, and stands in deliberate contrast to Gwen’s more personal and private faith journey. As she moves through the events of Black Phone 2, her spirituality diverges from the institutional and ritualistic religion embodied by supporting characters like Ken and Barb.
The Enhanced Role of Gwen in the Sequel
One of the principal shifts in Black Phone 2 is Gwen’s evolution from supporting character to co-protagonist, joining Finn at the center of the story. This narrative decision was rooted in the desire to offer a fresh perspective and avoid repetition. Whereas the first film was about Gwen’s attempts to save Finn, the sequel reverses these roles, placing Gwen in greater peril and exploring the siblings’ interdependence.
Derrickson explained that the sibling relationship remains the emotional heart of the series:
“Both movies belong to both characters, and both movies are about their relationship to each other, maybe more than anything else.”
Gwen’s character was given greater agency, and her journey through danger and violence at an older age justified the production of a new film. Audiences connected strongly to Gwen’s stronger presence, and her altered viewpoint transformed Black Phone 2 into not just a sequel, but a high school survival story with its own stakes and atmosphere.
The supernatural element is further intensified as Gwen continues to experience vivid, often terrifying visions through the black phone, seeing the deaths and dangers facing others long before they unfold in the physical world. These episodes entwine her fate with that of Finn and other victims, as she seeks clarity between what is vision and what is reality.
Unpacking the Horror: Cast, Characters, and Mythology
Central to The Black Phone series is its compelling cast: Ethan Hawke as The Grabber, Mason Thames as Finn, and Madeleine McGraw as Gwen. The legacy of the Grabber is heightened by Hawke’s performance, which drew even more attention as the villain reemerged for the sequel—a rare feat given his apparent death at the hands of Finn in the original. Other notable characters like Ernesto, Ken, Barb, and Mando populate the youth camp, each representing different facets of faith, morality, and childhood experience.
Finn’s character, now older and carrying the trauma of his past captivity, continues to struggle with lingering fear and guilt. Meanwhile, Gwen’s nightmares and psychic abilities deepen, intertwining the siblings’ stories with those of the Grabber’s lingering influence. The camps, both summer and winter, serve as more than just backdrops—their seclusion and community tensions heighten the sense of isolation and threat that permeates the films.
The mask remains a symbol of the Grabber’s fractured psyche and his techniques of psychological terror, in line with his verbose and manipulative tactics against victims. As Derrickson notes, the mask is more than decoration—it is the core of the character, underscoring his need to terrify and dominate not only physically, but through words and deception.
During the sequel, the stakes escalate as Finn and Gwen are forced to confront realities darker than before. At Alpine Lake’s winter camp, Gwen’s premonitions reveal the hunt for three boys, echoing the earlier terrors of Black Phone and reminding audiences that trauma echoes across time and place.
What Lies Ahead for Black Phone and Derrickson’s Horror Universe
Though there is no confirmed announcement for Black Phone 3, Scott Derrickson’s openness to developing a new film leaves the door open for the franchise and the potential return of Ethan Hawke’s Black Phone Grabber. The director’s insistence on originality and the importance of each installment being a bold, unexpected pivot indicate that any follow-up would elevate both concept and execution. The critical and fan response to the franchise’s tonal evolution will likely factor into future plans.
The Black Phone movies reflect an evolution within the horror genre, blending personal experience, psychological terror, and classic fiend archetypes into a hybrid form. Derrickson’s cinematic homage to earlier genre greats like Halloween and Nightmare on Elm Street, combined with his own life memories, produces a uniquely chilling narrative texture. As a result, contemporary audiences connect with timeless fears and novel scenarios in every installment.
Black Phone 2 is now accessible for home viewing, allowing even more audiences to experience the latest twists in Finn and Gwen’s journey, and to witness the enduring presence of the Grabber. The return of Ethan Hawke, supported by Madeleine McGraw and Mason Thames, ensures that the mythos of the Black Phone will linger, as both a reminder of the franchise’s origins and as a signal that new horrors may yet arrive at the hands of its haunting villain.
