Black Phone 2: An Interview with Scott Derrickson

Key Takeaways

Scott Derrickson creates horror using personal childhood fears and real-world crime influences.
The Black Phone films are deeply rooted in Derrickson's working-class Denver upbringing.
Ethan Hawke's performance as The Grabber is central, with the mask enabling nuanced acting.
Derrickson prioritizes authentic filmmaking, using physical film and maintaining creative control.
Black Phone 2 is designed as a more violent, high school coming-of-age horror film.

Director Scott Derrickson revealed the mask for Ethan Hawke's character, "The Grabber," was a late but critical pre-production development for the first "Black Phone" film.
The split mask design and its emotional variations were identified as key details for character identity and marketing.

The "Black Phone" films are rooted in Derrickson's childhood in North Denver neighborhoods, depicting elements like chain-link fences as sources of fear.
Real-life influences include a childhood phone call with Susan Atkins and the impact of Ted Bundy's crimes in Colorado, alongside a neighbor's murder account involving kidnapping and assault.
The mid-70s to early 80s 'satanic panic' and 'stranger danger' phenomena, reinforced by police warnings, informed the widespread societal fear of child abduction at the time.
The guest questioned if a "Black Phone" paperboy character referenced Johnny Gosh, highlighting the reality of abductions in North Denver.

The guest discussed the "unique, transgressive quality" of Clive Barker's first "Hellraiser" film.
The Weinsteins purchased the "Hellraiser" franchise with the intent to produce direct-to-video sequels, actively seeking new writers.
The guest, then a writer, sold his script idea for a "significantly reduced budget" direct-to-video production, believing his original script was superior to the final movie.

For "Black Phone 2," Universal and Blumhouse demonstrated increased interest due to the first film's success, leading to more feedback.
The director explained that studio notes from Universal and Blumhouse were provided with the understanding that he could choose whether or not to implement them.
He confirmed that "Black Phone 2" preserved its "intense gore" in the final cut, with no pushback from the studio on the violent content.
The director successfully argued against a request to cut the Gwen whipping scene from the first "Black Phone" movie, emphasizing its narrative necessity.

"Black Phone 2" utilizes Super 8 and 16 millimeter film for its dream sequences, embracing their "unstable and out-of-focus qualities" for aesthetic effect.
This choice aimed to evoke the look and feel of 70s and 80s horror films, with influences cited from movies like "Nightmare on Elm Street 3."
The film is set in 1982, drawing from slasher movies of the late 70s and early 80s for its overall vibe.
The guest expressed a strong preference for the "inherent messiness" and instability of physical film stock over digital emulation, noting the 'impossible' nature of digitally replicating its chemical reactions.

The director was asked to make "Black Phone 2" immediately after the first film's opening weekend but delayed the project.
The delay allowed the child actors to age into high school, with the aim of creating a high school coming-of-age horror film featuring a "more violent and aggressive tone."
Ethan Hawke wore "The Grabber" mask for the entirety of his screen time in "Black Phone 2."
Upon seeing the masks during pre-production for the first film, Hawke realized they would perform much of the character work, allowing him to focus on more nuanced acting.

Director Scott Derrickson lauded Ethan Hawke's "fearlessness and trust," which allowed for stand-out performance moments that sometimes required restructuring scenes.
Hawke's portrayal of "The Grabber" balances menace with a potential for seeming goofy, capturing the essence of serial killers as "douchebags" through dialogue and movement.
The director expressed a fascination with serial killer media and praised Hawke's performance for accurately reflecting the unattractive nature of such individuals.
Derrickson attributes his success to hiring talented actors, particularly praising Hawke's "magical" and "tour de force" performances.

The guest expressed a desire for a spin-off exploring the character of "The Grabber" from "The Black Phone," drawing parallels to "The Bear."
Director Scott Derrickson revealed his lifelong ambition to direct a large-scale adaptation of "Paradise Lost," which he describes as his "white whale," envisioning it as a major film depicting the biblical War in Heaven.
The guest described Mel Gibson's "Passion of the Christ" as "Jesus Chainsaw Massacre" due to its extreme violence, noting Gibson's plans for prequel and sequel films.