Director Scott Derrickson has given us a delayed but much-welcome spooky season treat by delivering news that should please horror fans, especially if they loved his 2022 horror film, The Black Phone. It looks like cameras have begun to roll on The Black Phone 2, and the director shared a small peek to let everyone know that filming is underway on the anticipated horror sequel. Derrickson took to his X/Twitter page to share a picture from the set with the logo for the sequel on the back of his director’s chair. The caption is sweet and simple, reading, “Black Phone 2 began shooting today.” No other sequel details were revealed in the post, and it’s likely this one will remain a secret as fans anticipate what Derrickson and his team are cooking up.
Many fans have wondered how a sequel could be made to The Black Phone, given how the first film wrapped up with what seemed like a definitive ending. Being aware of that, Derrickson’s writing partner, C. Robert Cargill, who also co-wrote the first film and is back to pen the sequel, made a reference to that very notion on his X page. Cargill said, after Sinister 2, he wouldn’t do another sequel if it wasn’t as good as the first film, and while he can’t reveal much about The Black Phone 2, since he’s back for this sequel, they must’ve had a pretty good idea for a follow-up to revisit this story and characters. Check out what he had to say about the horror sequel below:
“Not a lot I can talk about, but after my experience with SINISTER 2 (you can hear about on Scott Weinberg’s OVERHATED podcast) I swore I wouldn’t make another sequel unless it could be as good as the 1st.
Reader, we’re SUPER proud of this script & cast and hope we do you proud.”
The Black Phone Was an Unexpected Horror Hit
The Black Phone, based on the Joe Hill short story of the same name, follows a young boy named Finney (Mason Thames) who is abducted by a child killer known as The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). All hope seems lost for Finney as he’s locked away in The Grabber’s lair until he comes across a black rotary phone that allows him to communicate with the ghosts of the killer’s past victims, who help him plot his escape. In addition to Thames and Hawke, the film also stars Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies and James Ransone, among others.
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When The Black Phone was released in summer 2022, it became a bit of a surprise hit, grossing $161.4 million worldwide on an $18 million budget. The movie also scored with critics, registering an 81% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Hawke earning raves for his villainous turn as well as the film’s young cast being pointed out for their top-notch performances as well. The Black Phone 2 was officially announced in Oct. 2023, with Hawke, Thames, McGraw and Davies all slated to return.
The Black Phone 2
- Release Date
- June 27, 2025