Overview

• The director reunites with co-writer C. Robert Cargill and returning stars Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, with Ethan Hawke back behind the Grabber’s mask as a dream-haunting presence.
• Set in 1982 with the characters now older, the follow-up evolves the first film’s perspective without repeating its confined premise.
• Derrickson says Gwen takes greater focus as the story explores the lingering effects of past trauma on the siblings.
• He notes more involvement from Universal than Blumhouse on this installment, including a larger production and marketing spend.
• The filmmaker says he did not set out to launch a franchise and has no third-film story in mind, as The Black Phone 2 reaches theaters on Oct. 17.