Though he was protective of his novel 20th Century Ghosts, Joe Hill had an idea for a potential sequel. Director Scott Derrickson said he would be interested if the first film were a success, which it was. On top of earning positive reviews, The Black Phone grossed over $161 million worldwide on a $16 – $18 million budget. Much of the original cast returned for the sequel, along with new additions like Demián Bichir and Arianna Rivas. Under the working title Mysterium, filming began in late 2024 in Toronto and Hamilton, with a $30 million budget. The studio hired cinematographer Pär M. Ekberg, whose prior credits include music videos for Coldplay, Beyoncé, and P!nk. Filming wrapped in January 2025, and while initially set for a July release, Universal delayed it for months. After premiering at Fantastic Fest in September, Black Phone 2 hit theaters worldwide in October.
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Rating
Synopsis
Four years after the last film, Gwen (Madeline McGraw) begins experiencing strange dreams about murders at Alpine Lake Camp. She persuades her brother, Finney (Mason Thames), and their friend Ernesto (Miguel Mora) to investigate. When they arrive at the camp, a severe blizzard traps them there with the remaining staff. The staff includes supervisor Armando (Demián Bichir), niece Mustang (Arianna Rivas), and counselors Kenneth (Graham Abbey) and Barbara (Maev Beaty). One night, Finney hears the broken payphone ringing nearby, answers it, and hears The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Although dead, The Grabber swears revenge on Finney and plans to torment his sister through her dreams. Gwen realizes that The Grabber’s first victims were at the camp, and their bodies were never recovered. Hoping to weaken The Grabber, the group works with the staff to locate and recover the missing bodies. But soon, Finney and Gwen learn more than they ever expected.
Review
Black Phone 2, though not terrible, suffers from what many sequels face: finding a reason to justify its existence. The first film worked as a self-contained story that ends on a strong note, with no loose ends. The fact that one of the catalysts for making the sequel was the original’s success should say enough. Supposedly, Joe Hill had a “wonderful idea” for a sequel, which makes me wonder exactly what it was. Something tells me his “idea” might’ve involved taking “inspiration” from A Nightmare on Elm Street. I wouldn’t accuse this movie of being a rip-off, but there are more than a few similarities. You have a killer returning from the dead to seek revenge, who invades people’s dreams, and thrives off of fear. Granted, he only targets one person’s dreams, who happens to have dream abilities established in the first film, but still.
As with the last film, the cast delivers some excellent performances, notably McGraw, Thames, and Hawke. While I would’ve preferred having Mason Thames be the central focus, I liked that they gave Madeline McGraw the spotlight. Thankfully, it never feels like she takes the film away from him as they share equal screentime. Like the first film, Ethan Hawke steals the show as The Grabber, this time acting more aggressively and evilly. As silly as the movie gets at times, he takes the role very seriously, which I commend him for. Also, Demián Bichir makes a good authority figure at the camp, able to act relatable while remaining a devout Christian. The rest of the cast does a fine job, but none of them stand out as much as the leads. That said, the back-and-forths between Madeline McGraw and Maev Beaty are hilarious.
Scott Derrickson’s direction is still solid, feeling more like an ’80s slasher film in the best way. One standout element is how they convey the dream world by shooting those scenes using a Super-8 camera. The shoddy focus and muffled sound give these sequences an unnerving quality that heightens the tension. Unfortunately, the movie’s story falters, not only in its parallels to Wes Craven’s classic but also in its twists. Without going into spoilers, my best comparison would be to the twist in Halloween II. Essentially, the filmmakers tried adding a more personal connection between Finney and The Grabber, inadvertently making The Grabber less scary. Much like the sequel to the John Carpenter classic, this one isn’t terrible, but it feels wholly unnecessary. Overall, Black Phone 2 is a decent follow-up, but you’re not missing much if you decide to skip it.
Black Phone 2 is in theaters.
