Charlie Grimille

Charlie Grimille is the main antagonist of the 2015 found-footage horror film, The Gallows.

On October 29, 1993, Charlie Grimille was accidentally hanged and killed after a prop malfunction during a presentation of the play "The Gallows". His parents, along with the whole audience, witnessed the tragic event.

20 years later however, students at the same school resurrect the failed play as a misguided attempt to honor the accident.

A student named Reese Houser is excited, as this gives him a chance to grow closer to his crush Pfeifer Ross. But his friend Ryan Shoos is dismissive of the play, and comes up with the idea to vandalize the set. Reese is reluctant to take part, but agrees when Ryan promises that he'll be able to console Pfeifer afterwards, giving them a chance to kiss. Later that night Reese, Ryan, and Ryan's girlfriend Cassidy Spilker sneak into the school, only to run in to Pfeifer, who saw Reese's car. Knowing they cannot vandalize the sets with Pfeifer there, the group tries to leave but finds that they have been locked inside and there is no cell phone reception. Disturbed, Cassidy admits the trio's real reason for being in the school, which angers Pfeifer.

As the group tries to look for a way out of the school, they find news coverage of Charlie's death that includes an interview with his girlfriend Alexis. They also discover that Charlie was not supposed to have performed that day and was only on stage because he was the understudy for the main actor, Reese's father Rick. The group becomes separated when Reece runs off with the camera, with Ryan being left alone. As he searches for Reece, he sees various things, such as a half finished plate of food, a cup of coffee, a hidden room with a mattress and bed frame, and what looks like a body hanging from above. When the group is reunited, they hear footsteps above them that stop above Cassidy. She is then yanked into the air by seemingly nothing, leaving her with burns on her neck that look like rope burns. They all come back to the stage, where Pfeifer points out an air conditioning duct that they could escape through. Angry and frightened, Ryan calls for Charlie, terrifying the group, and when Ryan tries climbing a latter to the vent Charlie's unseen spirit violently throws him off, causing Ryan's leg is to be badly broken.

When Reece, Pfeifer, and Cassidy leave Ryan to try getting help, the door is slammed shut, and they are locked out of the stage where Ryan lays helpless.

Ryan sees the door slam, then discovers the ghost of Charlie, while holding a noose and wearing the exceptional mask from the play, this causes Ryan to understandably freak out and scream for help, but before too long Ryan is violently grabbed by the ghost's noose, pulling him high into the air and is presumed dead.

As night progresses, Cassidy is also murdered by Charlie Grimille's ghost, who's still dressed as the Hangman from the play.

Reese and Pfeifer unsuccessfully try to escape the murderious spirit and end up on the stage. Realizing that Charlie wants Reese to be hung, as revenge for Charlie's death Reese approaches the noose prop. However, when Reese puts the noose around his neck, Pfeifer begins treating it like the play, witch angers Reese and he tells her to stop, but he is hanged and killed by Charlie. Once he is dead, Pfeifer and Charlie both bow, as Alexis, who was watching the performance, gives a standing ovation.

Days later, the police enter a house where Pfeifer and Alexis are residing and watching footage of Charlie's death, indicating that Pfeifer is the daughter of Charlie and Alexis. When one of the officers attempts to question Pfeifer and Alexis about Charlie, Pfeifer warns him, saying, "You shouldn't say that name." The officer then calls for his partner, but the partner is murdered by Charlie's noose. And upon turning around, Charlie appears and presumably kills the second officer, as the screen cuts to black.