Author Joe Hill, who wrote the short story “The Black Phone,” has explained that The Grabber’s return forBlack Phone 2was set up in the original movie. The upcoming horror sequel, directed by Scott Derrickson, brings back the menacing serial abductor, despite him having been murdered, with Ethan Hawke reprising hisrole as The Grabber.
During an interview withScreenRant’s Grant Hermanns forAbraham’s Boys: A Dracula Story, Joe Hill teased The Grabber returning.Hill confirmed that Hawke’s character is dead, but explained that Finney (Thames) has already communicated with ghostsonce and that “maybe he isn’t as gone as we thought he was.”
Hill also revealed there were several aspects ofThe Black Phonethat he recognized as potential for a sequel. He added thata moment from the original movie could tie intoBlack Phone 2, noting that it’s “a trap door” that may have gone unnoticed by others. As Hill explains, after sharing a possible concept with Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill, they “thought it was really cool.” Check out his full comments below:
EXCLUSIVE: I don’t think I could say too much about that, but I have seen the theories. I would just point out The Grabber is dead, but being dead hasn’t stopped people from reaching out to Finney before. So, maybe he isn’t as gone as we thought he was. I’m excited to see what people make of the picture. Originally, Scott and Cargill weren’t sure there was a sequel there, but there were two things the first time I saw the film. Even before I saw the film, when I saw the mask, I thought, “Oh, there’s gonna be a bunch of these pictures, because that’s iconic in the way of Freddy Krueger’s glove and Michael Myers' mask, and the hockey mask, and stuff. I think we’re going to have a bunch of The Grabber.”
And then, when I saw the film, there’s a thing in the first picture, just a brief thing, and when I saw that, I thought, “Oh, that’s a trap door into the second film. They stuck something.” And I was like, “I don’t even know if they know that they just stuck this thing in the movie that’s the obvious door to fling open to go into the second picture.” So, I pitched this idea to them, and they both thought it was really cool.
And then, Scott brought in some more stuff. The first film, in some ways, is very autobiographical. It’s about growing up dirty and in the 1970s in Denver, and he brought some more stuff in there. And then Cargill is just a masterful engineer in terms of figuring out how to engineer a suspenseful sequence, and put his characters in peril. So, they wound up with a great script, and I’m excited for the film to come out. I can’t believe I’ve got two of these things coming out this year.
What Joe Hill’s Comments Mean For Black Phone 2
How Will The Grabber Come Back?
WhenThe Black Phoneends, Finney has used every guideline from deceased victims to wound The Grabber and overcome him.Audiences last saw The Grabber strangled by a phone cord, and police reveal they recovered bodies from his home. Now,Black Phone 2is producing speculation surrounding The Grabber and how he will eventually return.
Some theories include that he will manifest as a ghost and/or continue targeting Finney for having survived, and Hill’s comments validate such ideas. Additionally,since theBlack Phone 2trailer was released, genre fans have noted similarities between The Grabber and Freddy KruegerfromA Nightmare on Elm Street.
The early footage reveals that Gwen (McGraw) is experiencing dreams, which may physically affect her in real life. It also signals thatThe Grabber could be responsible for more disappearances at Alpine Lake and that he will communicate with Finney via phone.
Our Take On The Grabber’s Return
He Might Be Even More Dangerous
Based on these comments from Hill, it will be interesting to see exactly what moment from the first movie leads toBlack Phone 2. The Grabber being dead not only makes for a compelling sequel, but it may also mean that he is more dangerous than before, which should present a real challenge for Finney and Gwen to solve, especially if the film veers completely supernatural.
