When Scott Derrickson’s newest horror feature, The Black Phone, released in 2022 to stellar reviews and an even better box office, much of the conversation centered around Ethan Hawke’s menacing antagonist, The Grabber. The character became an instant hit with horror fans and general audiences alike, lighting up the Halloween season in 2022 with Grabber masks and countless cosplays. However, when the sequel was announced just over a year later, it would leave many fans, including me, both excited and confused. The first movie ended on pretty definitive terms, how would this work?
The haunting new trailer for The Black Phone 2 paints the Grabber as a now-supernatural entity following his demise at the end of the first movie. Similar to Elm Street’s most notorious killer, Freddy Krueger, Ethan Hawke’s villain appears to be attacking children in their dreams and taking revenge for his death. With the Elm Street franchise on an extended break from the big screen and the public eye, Blumhouse and Derrickson have a unique opportunity to fill that void with their own character.
Modern horror is severely lacking in the icons that often transcend the genre such as Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees and Leatherface. Long gone are the days of slasher franchises with 8 sequels and creative ways to bring back killers, but there is hope. The closest we have at the moment is Terrifier’s Art the Clown – who has become a pop culture sensation in recent years. However, with his unique look, chilling demeanour and now supernatural presence, the Grabber has potential to join Art the Clown on the Mount Rushmore of modern horror villains.
