Get ready for more chills and blood in Black Phone 2, hitting theaters on October 17, 2025.
Director Scott Derrickson has confirmed that the sequel to the hit 2021 horror film will be “more violent, scarier, more graphic” than the first. With Mason Thames returning and Ethan Hawke teasing a possible comeback, fans should brace for a darker, more intense ride.
The first Black Phone, based on a short story by Joe Hill (Stephen King’s son), followed Finney Shaw (Thames), a teen kidnapped by a masked killer known as The Grabber (Hawke). Trapped in a soundproof basement, Finney begins hearing voices of the killer’s past victims through a disconnected phone, who help him fight back and escape. The movie earned critical acclaim and box office success, grossing over $161 million on an $18 million budget.
Now, Derrickson says the stakes are even higher. In a chat with The Hollywood Reporter, he revealed the sequel amps up the intensity, partly because the kids are older now. “A middle school coming-of-age horror movie is a different animal than a high school coming-of-age horror film,” he said. “There’s a ratcheting up of intensity because of that.”
Time was a factor, too. Derrickson knew he had to strike while the young actors still looked the part. “If I go make another movie first and don’t make a sequel now, then by the time I finish, these kids are all going to be in high school,” he explained.
Joe Hill even contributed new story ideas to help shape Black Phone 2. And while a sequel wasn’t guaranteed, Derrickson eventually jumped back in. “It wasn’t a foregone conclusion,” he told Screen Rant, but once the story came together, it was too good to pass up. “A lot of surprises, for sure,” he added, teasing unexpected twists in the new film.
As for Hawke, who played the creepy and iconic Grabber, he’s open to returning. Speaking to Collider, he praised Derrickson as a visionary director and said he’d be in for another round if asked. “Basically, if he wants me to be in Black Phone 2, I’m gonna do it,” he said.
With Hill’s storytelling, Derrickson’s direction, and the original cast stepping back into the nightmare, Black Phone 2 is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated horror movies of 2025. Expect blood, dread, and plenty of surprises.
Mark your calendars for October 17, and get ready to answer the phone again.
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