We’re just over a month away from the release of Don’t Breathe 2, the sequel to 2016’s atmospheric and chilling sleeper hit, which enjoyed a long-lasting life at the box office and ended its theatrical run with $157 million in the coffers. That’s a phenomenal return for a movie that cost less than $10 million to produce.
Stephen Lang’s Norman Nordstrom may have been positioned as the villain of the opener, but he’s being shifted towards antihero status for the follow up. Fede Álvarez isn’t directing the second time around, but Don’t Breathe 2 looks to be in more than capable hands. The first film’s co-writer Rodo Sayagues is making his debut behind the camera on the second installment, and he’s been a close collaborator of Álvarez for over fifteen years.
The plot picks up eight years later, with the Blind Man now living a life of isolation in the wilderness with an 8-year-old girl in his care, who he rescued after a fire took the life of her parents. When another band of intruders descend upon his home to try and take the child away from him, he’s forced to retaliate in what will no doubt be suitably gruesome fashion. A new poster has just been released as the marketing campaign begins to ramp up, and you can check it out below.
The first trailer promised plenty of atmosphere, but there’s more than likely going to be a significant twist at the center of Don’t Breathe 2. After all, Nordstrom didn’t have many redeeming qualities in the first entry, so turning him into a full-fledged hero doesn’t make a great deal of sense. This is entirely speculative of course, but what if he’s the one responsible for killing the girl’s parents all along to create his own twisted family unit? The good news is that we’ll find out for sure when the movie comes to theaters on August 13th.