The phone is ringing again, and The Grabber is back and more terrifying than ever. Universal Pictures and Blumhouse have just released the official trailer for their upcoming horror film Black Phone 2, a direct sequel to the 2022 success, The Black Phone. The trailer follows returning protagonist Finney as he and his sister, Gwen, are haunted by the supernatural presence of The Grabber, the child-tormenting villain Finney thought he vanquished years ago.

Tortured in her dreams in a Nightmare on Elm Street-esque fashion, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) confides in her brother Finney (Mason Thames), leading him to deduce that The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) may be back in a way both unexpected and sinister. Featuring haunting sequences shot in 16mm, a signature by director Scott Derrickson, and seemingly more bloody than before, The Grabber appears as his most powerful and devious. “You of all people know that ‘dead’ is just a word,” Hawke’s villain whispers to Finney over the titular black telephone. Amidst snowy landscapes, other images presented in the first look include The Grabber brandishing an axe, as well as remains of his past child-aged victims.

With a tone undoubtedly darker than its predecessor and leaning heavier into its otherworldly elements, Black Phone 2 seems to be gearing up to be quite the treat for horror fans. Scott Derrickson (Sinister, The Black Phone, The Gorge)  returns as director/co-writer alongside scribe and frequent collaborator C. Robert Cargill. Mason Thames (most recently seen in DreamWorks’ live-action How to Train Your Dragon adaptation) leads a returning cast including Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, Miguel Cazarez Mora, and, of course, Ethan Hawke. The film releases in theaters October 17, 2025. Watch the trailer below.