The Black Phone 2 director Scott Derrickson says there was a lot of pressure to add on to the Grabber's backstory, but that he and co-writer C. Robert Cargill ended up finding the perfect balance.
"There was a lot of pressure. And when we test-screened the first movie, the audience kept saying they wanted more backstory on the Grabber," Derrickson tells GamesRadar+. "And there was a lot of pressure from the studio for me to add it. And I said, 'We don't want that in this movie.' You know, the power of the Grabber is his mystery. And if you try to give that backstory, explain it psychologically, it's gonna make it less scary. And I said, 'That's not gonna work. I just didn't do it."
The first film introduces the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) as evil incarnate, and someone who seems to straddle the line between life and death. The lack of information about the serial kidnapper and killer is part of what makes The Black Phone so effectively terrifying. The sequel, which came from an idea straight from original short story writer Joe Hil, sees the Grabber call Finney (Mason Thames) from hell...and vow revenge.
"And then when it came to the second one, I still was not interested in a backstory that was some kind of explanation for his evilness, you know, because I think there's mystery to evil, especially when you're talking about a child torturing serial killer, you're talking about the worst of the worst," Derrickson continues. "But I was interested in how he got started, you know, and, and, and how he found his way into doing the things, the kinds of things that, that, that we know he does and did during his lifetime. That was interesting to me, and that became a starting point for the script."
The sequel fast-forwards four years later to 1982, where both Finney and his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) are still struggling with the trauma they both suffered at the hands of the Grabber. Finney turns to violence, while Gwen retreats inwards (and really hones in on her psychic abilities). Those psychic abilities lead us not only to the Grabber, but to the literal place where his reign of terror began. We learn more about who he was before he donned that horned mask, though we don't exactly find out what "made" him evil. Derrickson says that the why wasn't necessary (and as a viewer, I absolutely agree).
"We never talked about going more into his history. Was he abused as a child? Maybe. Some serial killers are, but some aren't. And again, that's why I felt like trying to go down that path...To me, it almost feels disrespectful to the mystery of true evil," Derrickson explains. "And also, it defends it and takes away what's fascinating about true evil, which is its otherness. Its incomprehensibility is what makes it powerful and why we watch. So many documentaries, or why I want so many documentaries about serial killers and things like that, because of the mystery of that evil."
Derrickson directs from a script he penned with Cargill, based on the story and characters created by Hill (and if you're curious, the original short story can be purchased on Amazon as a special tie-in with the film). The cast includes Demián Bichir, Jeremy Davies, Arianna Rivas, Maev Beaty, Graham Abbey, Anna Lore, and Miguel Mora, returning this time as Ernesto, the younger brother of Grabber victim Robin Arellano (who Mora played in the first film).
The Black Phone 2 releases in theaters on October 17. For more, check out our list of the best horror movies, or keep up with upcoming horror movies heading your way.
