‘The Black Phone 2’: Everything We Know So Far

The Black Phone, the haunting Blumhouse film about ghost victims helping a serial killer’s target escape, was arguably one of the scariest films of 2022. Well, it looks like the Grabber is returning for another round as The Black Phone 2 has officially been announced.

Unfortunately, it does look like fans of The Black Phone will have to wait quite a bit longer for the sequel, which is currently slated for release on June 27, 2025. This is an unusually long wait for a sequel to a popular horror film and is likely due to the recently resolved WGA strike and the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike.

***SPOILER ALERT: This next section spoils the ending of The Black Phone.***

Given that Ethan Hawke’s “Grabber” is killed by Mason Thames’ Finney at the end of the first movie, it’s unlikely he will appear in future installments. That also makes it hard to say if the amazing child actors from the first film will return. Madeleine McGraw stood out as Gwen, the psychic sister working to find her kidnapped brother.

The author of the original book, Joe Hill, indicated in an interview with Comicbook.com that the sequel will use the imagery of the Grabber mask, but will not necessarily follow the same characters. Hill likened the Grabber to iconic slashers of the 1980s like Michael Myers, who the same person rarely played in more than one film. The idea of the Grabber becoming a moniker used by multiple serial killers is nothing new (it’s basically the entire premise of the Scream franchise), but it could allow the franchise to explore different time periods and settings.

What is the plot of The Black Phone 2?

While the plot is kept tightly under wraps, Derrickson told Comicbook.com, “Joe Hill pitched me a wonderful idea for a sequel to Black Phone that, if this movie does well, I’m gonna do it. He’s got a great idea, I really liked it, … Joe’s very protective and personal about his material, but he came to me with the idea and I was like, ‘That’s how you do a sequel to Black Phone. That’s terrific.'”

Who will return for The Black Phone 2?

Director Scott Derrickson has indicated that his return is contingent on Ethan Hawke’s involvement in the sequel, which complicates things as Hawke’s character died at the end of the film. Granted, many horror franchises bring deceased characters back for sequels. Despite the ghosts and psychic visions, The Black Phone used a more grounded approach for its characters and horror.

While it’s unclear how the film will bring Hawke back, he is confirmed to return as The Grabber. Joining him are Mason Thames (How to Train Your Dragon), Madeleine McGraw (Secrets of Sulphur Springs), Jeremy Davies (Justified), and Miguel Mora.

If fans are interested in more Black Phone content, Derrickson revealed that his section in the horror anthology film V/H/S/85 is meant to be a follow-up to The Black Phone and follows the cousin of the two main children from the first film. Check it out if you want to scratch that itch for ’80s horror throwbacks.

(featured image: Universal Pictures)