'Don't Breathe 2' First Look: The Blind Man Is Back This August

Don't Breathe was an incredibly well-crafted, well-directed horror-thriller that also made some...uh, let's say, questionable choices in its third act. Still, the film was a big hit, and there's been talk of a sequel ever since the original film arrived in 2016. Now, some five years later, that sequel is ready. Don't Breathe 2 is set to open this summer, and before it does, we have a first look image featuring Stephen Lang's very deadly Blind Man.

There he is, Mr. Blind Man himself. The Don't Breathe 2 first look comes to us via USA Today, which also confirms the film's release date – August 13, 2021. That release date isn't new, mind you – it was actually announced last October. But there was always a chance the date might change, what with the pandemic continuing to shuffle around multiple movies. But as of now, the August date is holding.

The sequel also has itself a synopsis, and while this synopsis isn't new – it, too, was announced last year – I completely missed it until now. And I have to admit it's giving me pause:

The Blind Man has been hiding out for several years in an isolated cabin and has taken in and raised a young girl orphaned from a devastating house fire. Their quiet life together is shattered when a group of criminals kidnap the girl, forcing the Blind Man to leave his safe haven to save her.

Now, I'm willing to admit that this synopsis might be deliberately vague and not giving us the whole story in order to keep some shocks and surprises in check. But from the looks of things, it sure seems like Don't Breathe 2 is trying to turn the Blind Man into some sort of heroic figure raising a young girl and protecting her from bad guys.

This is, of course, a stark contrast from the original film. In case you forgot the story, here's a quick reminder: three young burglars break into a house thinking it will be an easy score because the guy who lives there is blind. But they soon find out that despite his blindness, the homeowner is very skilled at murdering people. Then, there's a big twist that reveals the Blind Man has kidnapped a young woman, imprisoned her in his basement, and impregnated her to replace the beloved daughter he lost. Later, he tries to forcefully impregnate yet another young woman, one of the burglars, played by Jane Levy. In other words, he's not very heroic. But again: maybe there's more here than meets the eye. Maybe the Blind Man didn't actually rescue this young orphan – maybe he's abducted her to yet again fill the void left by his dead daughter. And maybe the "group of criminals" coming to kidnap the girl are actually there to save her. Maybe.

Rodo Sayagues, who was a writer and co-producer on the first film, is in the director's chair for this sequel. Sayagues wrote the script with Fede Álvarez, who directed the first film.