Overview

• Scott Derrickson directs from a script co-written with C. Robert Cargill based on a story idea by Joe Hill, continuing the Shaw siblings’ story years after the original.
• Critics single out grainy Super 8/16 dream sequences, an alpine camp setting, and explicit nods to A Nightmare on Elm Street as the film embraces a more surreal tone.
• Ethan Hawke’s Grabber returns in a more supernatural capacity with reduced screen time compared with the first film.
• Praise from early reviewers includes strong notices for McGraw’s performance and visual ambition, while some critiques cite inconsistent dream logic and diminished impact versus the original.
• Stephen King and several outlets call the sequel superior to the first, though others are less convinced; Universal plans a theatrical rollout on October 17, 2025.