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Black Phone 2

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Black Phone 2
Theatrical release poster
Directed byScott Derrickson
Written by
Based on
"The Black Phone"
by Joe Hill
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPär M. Ekberg
Edited byLouise Ford
Music byAtticus Derrickson
Production
companies
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release dates
  • September 20, 2025 (2025-09-20) (Fantastic Fest)
  • October 17, 2025 (2025-10-17) (United States)
Running time
114 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$30 million[2]
Box office$132 million[3][4]

Black Phone 2 is a 2025 American supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson who co-wrote it with C. Robert Cargill. It serves as a sequel to The Black Phone (2021). It is the second feature film in the Black Phone film series. The film stars Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Ethan Hawke reprising their roles from the first film, with Demián Bichir also joining the cast. The story sees siblings Finney and Gwen, along with their friend Ernesto, head to a winter youth camp to uncover a mystery regarding the first victims of the Grabber, whose ghostly presence now haunts the camp.

Black Phone 2 premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 20, 2025,[5] and was released in the United States by Universal Pictures on October 17. The film received generally positive reviews from critics and grossed $132 million worldwide on a budget of $30 million.

Plot

[edit]

In 1982, four years after Finney Blake killed the Grabber,[a] his sister Gwen begins having dreams where she sees murders that happened at Alpine Lake Camp in 1957. During one, she receives a call from her mother Hope, who at the time of the 1957 murders was having similar dreams. Gwen convinces Finney and Ernesto, the brother of the late Robin Arellano, to travel to Alpine Lake Camp. A heavy blizzard traps them there with the camp owner Armando, his niece Mustang, and two camp employees, Kenneth and Barbara. The three kids begin investigating what Gwen's dreams might mean.

On the second night, Finney receives a call on the camp's dead payphone, this time from the Grabber. Speaking from death, the Grabber vows revenge, blaming Finney for forcing him to kill his own brother and for ending his life. Moments later, Gwen is violently attacked in her dream by the Grabber but Finney, Ernesto, and Mustang manage to save her. The shaken group gathers in the camp's chapel, where Armando and the others realize they must find the bodies of the Grabber's victims from Alpine Lake Camp to loosen his power over the dream realm. The group deduces that the bodies are beneath Lake Maru.

As they investigate further, they discover that Armando, Hope, and the Grabber had all known each other at the camp long ago. That night, Gwen dreams of the Grabber; he reveals Hope did not commit suicide and he actually killed her, staging it to look self-inflicted. He then attempts to kill Gwen, with her injuries sustained in the dream manifesting in reality. She manages to gain power in her dream and fight back before being woken up by Finney and Ernesto. Meanwhile, Armando is searching for the boys' bodies. The next day, Finney's and Gwen's father Terrence arrives, having borrowed a snowplow to get there. Gwen confronts both Terrence and Finney on their abuse of alcohol and drugs to avoid thinking about their traumatic pasts. They decide to stay to defeat the Grabber and put the murdered boys to rest.

Later, joined by Kenneth and Barbara, the group returns to the frozen lake to recover the three missing boys. Gwen prays to Jesus to keep her alive and succeed in her mission to find the boys. As they search, Gwen falls asleep again and is attacked by the Grabber. The Grabber also attempts to murder Finney, Terrence, and the others present. During the struggle, Gwen locates the boys' bodies beneath the ice, removing the Grabber's power. Finney, Gwen, and the spirits of the murdered boys attack the Grabber, and he is dragged beneath the frozen lake. The next day, as Gwen, Finney and Ernesto prepare to leave, Gwen answers a call on the payphone, in which Hope tells Gwen that she is proud of her.

Cast

[edit]

Production

[edit]

In June 2022, Scott Derrickson said that while Joe Hill was protective of his 20th Century Ghosts eponymous story, the author had pitched him a "wonderful idea" for a sequel that he was open to directing if The Black Phone (2021) was a success.[10] In August, Derrickson and Hill confirmed that there were discussions with the studio to make a sequel. Derrickson referred to the financial success of the first film as one of the catalysts for the project.[11] Hill said his inspiration to writing a sequel was based on the "iconic imagery" of the Grabber's masks.[12]

In November 2023, it was reported that Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davies would reprise their roles from the first film. Miguel Cazarez Mora would also appear, though in a different role from the original. Derrickson returned as director and co-wrote the screenplay with C. Robert Cargill, with both also producing.[13] In late 2024, Demián Bichir and Arianna Rivas joined the cast.[14][15]

With the working title of Mysterium, principal photography began in Toronto, Mississauga, and Hamilton on November 4, 2024, with Pär M. Ekberg as the cinematographer.[16][17][18] Filming concluded on January 23, 2025.[19]

The film's score was composed by Atticus Derrickson, the director's son.[20] The tracks "Subways of Your Mind" by FEX, a well-known lostwave song,[21] and "Another Brick in the Wall" by Pink Floyd are also featured in the movie.[22]

Release

[edit]

Black Phone 2 premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 20, 2025, and was released on October 17, 2025.[23] It was originally set to be released on June 27, 2025.[24]

Black Phone 2 was released on digital on November 4, 2025.[25]

Reception

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Box office

[edit]

As of December 9, 2025, Black Phone 2 has grossed $77.4 million in the United States and Canada and $54.7 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $132 million.[4] In the United States and Canada, Black Phone 2 made $2.6 million from Thursday previews.[26] The film then topped the box office on its opening weekend, dethroning Tron: Ares, after making $27.3 million at the domestic box office.[27][28][29]

Critical response

[edit]

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 72% of 196 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 6.3/10. The website's consensus reads: "Taking the consequences of its predecessor seriously, Black Phone 2 is a chilling sequel that mines memorable scares and thought-provoking themes from the scars that linger."[30] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 61 out of 100, based on 37 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[31] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of B on an A+ to F scale, lower than the B+ earned by its predecessor.[32]

Bret Eckelberry of Plugged In concluded that Black Phone 2 is "a horror flick with heart".[33] Katie Walsh of the Los Angeles Times felt that it was "a bit surprising that Black Phone 2 turns out to be so pious and deeply Christian, which is a bit of an odd mix".[34]

Accolades

[edit]

The film received nominations at the 9th Astra Film Awards for Best Horror or Thriller Feature, Best Performance in a Horror or Thriller (Ethan Hawke), and Best Young Performer (Madeleine McGraw).[35] At the 4th Astra Creative Arts Awards, the film received a nomination for Best Visual Effects.[36] The film received a nomination for Original Score – Horror/Thriller Film at the 16th Hollywood Music in Media Awards.[37] The film was also nominated for two Saturn Awards, for Best Cinematic Adaptation Film and Best Younger Performer in a Film for McGraw's performance.[38]

Future

[edit]

In October 2025, Derrickson stated that he would only develop a third film if the story can be better than the previous two installments, expressing that he wants the series to be quality over quantity.[39] Hawke expressed interest in reprising his villainous role in a sequel, stating that he would like to explore the background story of the Grabber, his journey into Hell, and his continued hauntings of other characters.[40] Hill stated that he foresees the potential for various sequels but acknowledged that their reality depends on the financial success of Black Phone 2.[41] Cargill acknowledged the potential for another film but echoed Derrickson's thoughts by stating that they would only start production if the creatives could develop a story that is worthy of realizing.[42]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ↑ As depicted in The Black Phone (2021)

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "Black Phone 2 (2025)". Irish Film Classification Office. September 19, 2025. Retrieved September 19, 2025.
  2. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (October 15, 2025). "Box Office: 'Black Phone 2' Targets Debut Above $20 Million as Sluggish October Continues". Variety. Archived from the original on November 7, 2025. Retrieved October 15, 2025.
  3. ↑ "Black Phone 2". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved December 8, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Black Phone 2 – Financial Information". The Numbers. Archived from the original on January 4, 2026. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
  5. ↑ "Film Guide". Archived from the original on December 12, 2025. Retrieved September 6, 2025.
  6. ↑ Lopez, Grecia S. (October 17, 2025). "Interview: Miguel Mora on His Mexican-American Identity Being Represented in Black Phone 2". Remezcla. Archived from the original on March 16, 2026. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  7. ↑ Romano, Nick (September 10, 2025). "Black phone 2 conjures a Freddy Krueger-esque Grabber who's 'angrier' and 'a lot scarier'". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved September 11, 2025.
  8. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 14, 2025). "Blumhouse's Black Phone 2 Calls up Anna Lore". Archived from the original on April 18, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  9. ↑ Lee, Zachary (September 23, 2025). "Fantastic Fest Review: 'Black Phone 2' Expertly Balances Grisly Violence and Powerful Emotion". MovieWeb. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  10. ↑ Killian, Chris (June 21, 2022). "The Black Phone Director Teases Potential Sequel Plans". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on June 26, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2022.
  11. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (August 12, 2022). "The Black Phone Director Teases There Have Been Conversations About Sequel". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  12. ↑ Cavanaugh, Patrick (August 16, 2022). "The Black Phone Author Joe Hill on Watching His Eerie Adventure Come to Life". ComicBook.com. Archived from the original on August 16, 2022. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
  13. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (November 29, 2023). "Blumhouse's The Black Phone 2: Ethan Hawke & Original Cast Returning For Scott Derrickson Sequel". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved November 29, 2023.
  14. ↑ Grobar, Matt (September 12, 2024). "Demián Bichir Joins The Black Phone 2 At Universal". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 12, 2024. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  15. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (December 6, 2024). "Arianna Rivas Dials Up Blumhouse's Black Phone 2". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved December 6, 2024.
  16. ↑ "In Production". Ontario Creates. September 20, 2024. Archived from the original on September 26, 2024. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
  17. ↑ @scottderrickson (November 4, 2024). "Black Phone 2 began shooting today" (Tweet) – via X (formerly Twitter).
  18. ↑ White, George (October 17, 2025). "Pär M. Ekberg FSF / Black Phone 2". British Cinematographer. Archived from the original on October 27, 2025. Retrieved May 31, 2026.
  19. ↑ Hamman, Cody (January 31, 2025). "The Black Phone 2 has wrapped filming". JoBlo.com. Archived from the original on December 30, 2025. Retrieved February 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ Davids, Brian (October 17, 2025). "Black Phone 2 Director Scott Derrickson Talks the Twist That Sparked the Sequel". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on December 30, 2025. Retrieved October 19, 2025.
  21. ↑ https://www.praguereporter.com/home/2025/10/15/the-black-phone-2-movie-review-the-grabber-channels-freddy-krueger-in-chilly-sequel/
  22. ↑ https://vaguevisages.com/2026/04/21/black-phone-2-soundtrack-amazon-apple-peacock-songs/
  23. ↑ Grobar, Matt (August 14, 2025). "Fantastic Fest Lineup: Black Phone 2, Sisu: Road To Revenge, Shelby Oaks, Primate, Vicious & More Set For 20th Anniversary Edition". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 29, 2025. Retrieved August 14, 2025.
  24. ↑ Vlessing, Etan (October 27, 2023). "Universal Pictures Sets Release Date for Blumhouse's The Black Phone 2". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  25. ↑ Lammers, Tim. "Horror Hit 'Black Phone 2' Gets Streaming Date, Report Says". Forbes. Archived from the original on November 1, 2025. Retrieved November 4, 2025.
  26. ↑ Moreau, Jordan (October 17, 2025). "Box Office: 'The Black Phone 2' Makes $2.6 Million in Previews". Variety. Archived from the original on October 17, 2025. Retrieved October 17, 2025.
  27. ↑ "Weekend Domestic Chart for October 17, 2025". The Numbers.com. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  28. ↑ Tartaglione, Nancy (October 20, 2025). "'Black Phone 2' Rings Up $42M Global Bow; 'Tron: Ares' Squeaks Past $100M & 'One Battle After Another' Tops Century Mark Overseas To Reach $163M WW – International Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  29. ↑ Salomone, Gino (October 20, 2025). "Horror sequel 'Black Phone 2' tops weekend box office". Fox6 News Milwaukee. Archived from the original on October 20, 2025. Retrieved October 20, 2025.
  30. ↑ "Black Phone 2". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved June 7, 2026. Edit this at Wikidata
  31. ↑ "Black Phone 2". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved October 24, 2025.
  32. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (October 18, 2025). "Blumhouse Rebounds As Moviegoers Heed 'Black Phone 2's Call With $24M+ Opening – Saturday Box Office". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on October 18, 2025. Retrieved October 18, 2025.
  33. ↑ Eckelberry, Bret (October 17, 2025). "Black Phone 2". Plugged In. Archived from the original on October 30, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  34. ↑ Walsh, Katie (October 16, 2025). "Review: Hang up on the dreadful 'Black Phone 2,' a horror sequel that leaves you on hold". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 26, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
  35. ↑ Prusakowski, Steven (November 25, 2025). "The 2025 Astra Film Awards Nominations Have Been Announced". Awards Radar. Archived from the original on December 3, 2025. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
  36. ↑ Neglia, Matt (November 19, 2025). "The 2025 Hollywood Creative Alliance's (HCA) Astra Creative Arts Awards Nominations". Next Best Picture. Archived from the original on November 22, 2025. Retrieved November 19, 2025.
  37. ↑ Pedersen, Erik (November 5, 2025). "'Wicked: For Good', 'Sinners' & 'F1' Lead Hollywood Music in Media Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on November 8, 2025. Retrieved November 6, 2025.
  38. ↑ Hipes, Patrick (January 27, 2026). "Sinners, Avatar: Fire And Ash, Fantastic Four And Dexter: Resurrection Lead Saturn Awards Nominations". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 27, 2026. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
  39. ↑ Dunn, Jack (October 20, 2025). "'Black Phone 2' Director Scott Derrickson on Perfect Horror Sequels, Making High School Scares and His Thoughts About 'Black Phone 3'". Variety. Archived from the original on February 26, 2026. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  40. ↑ Romano, Nick (October 17, 2025). "Ethan Hawke dreams of a Black Phone trilogy: 'I'd like to go to hell with the Grabber'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 22, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  41. ↑ Earl, William (October 17, 2025). "'Black Phone 2' Mastermind Joe Hill on How He Came Up With The Grabber's Return and What a Sequel Could Look Like". Variety. Archived from the original on October 20, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
  42. ↑ Robinson, Tasha (October 19, 2025). "Black Phone 2's writer and director reveal what they need to make Black Phone 3". Polygon. Archived from the original on November 18, 2025. Retrieved November 15, 2025.
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