How Much of The Black Phone is Real?

A Terrifying Tale

"The Black Phone" is a scary movie that premiered in 2021. It features Ethan Hawke as The Grabber, a creepy masked killer. The film is based on a short story by Joe Hill, son of the renowned horror writer Stephen King.

The Plot

The story revolves around Finney, a boy who is kidnapped by The Grabber and trapped in a basement. The only unusual object in the room is a black phone that rings. The ghosts of The Grabber's past victims call Finney, trying to help him escape.

Inspirations from Real Life

The movie contains some truly frightening scenes, but it also draws from real-life horrors. The Grabber's methods of kidnapping and killing children are similar to those of real-life serial killers.

Inspiration Behind The Grabber

In an interview, Joe Hill revealed that The Grabber was inspired by both real and fictional killers. One of the real-life killers that influenced The Grabber was John Wayne Gacy, a part-time clown who murdered many children.

Hill also clarified that he did not think about Pennywise, the clown from his father's book "It", while writing "The Black Phone". Instead, he focused on real-life child killers from American history.

A Mix of Fantasy and Reality

The Grabber is a fusion of some of the most feared names in both movie and real-life horrors. The film blends fantasy and reality, with some parts being extremely scary and others rooted in real-life events.