Black Phone 2 Trailer, Fun Facts & Review
Black Phone 2 Synopsis:
The terrifying story of Finney and Gwen continues four years after Finney's escape from The Grabber. Even though the killer has met his end, real evil still exists as the creepy black phone starts ringing again, tormenting Gwen with calls and unsettling images of three boys being stalked at a winter campsite known as Alpine Lake. Determined to put an end to the nightmare, Gwen persuades Finney to look into the camp, where they discover a shocking connection between The Grabber and their family's history, compelling them to face a killer who has grown even more powerful in death.
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Release Date: In theaters October 17th, 2025
Black Phone 2 Fun Facts:
A "High School Coming-of-Age" Horror:
The sequel takes place four years after the original movie, featuring Finney as a teenager dealing with his past trauma. This time jump allowed the creators to explore the development of the characters and the new horrors they encounter at this new phase of their lives.
More Graphic and Horror:
The sequel is a high school horror, fans should expect more graphics and horror than the original to reflect changes the character is undergoing as a teenager and coming-of-age.
The Grabber's Supernatural Return:
Since The Grabber met his end in the first movie, Ethan Hawke is reprising his role as The Grabber. This suggests The Grabber returns as a supernatural entity, tormenting Gwen from beyond the grave.
Original Cast Returning:
The original cast from the first movie, including Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davies, are all reprising their roles.
Original Creative Team:
The original creative team from the first movie is back to create the sequel. Scott Derrickson returns as director and co-writer with C. Robert Cargill, who are both producing with Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions.
Based on a Short Story by Joe Hill:
The movies Black Phone and the sequel are based on the adaptation of the 2004 short story by Joe Hill.
Black Phone 2 Review:
It’s difficult to make a sequel when the killer is already dead. Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, the writers and director of the 2021 hit The Black Phone, meet this challenge by making The Black Phone 2 focus entirely on the supernatural, leaving behind the suburban horror style of the first film. The new movie is daring and visually stunning, but it can be confusing sometimes. It shifts from realistic suspense to a full embrace of nightmare and dream world horror.
The sequel takes place four years later. Finney Blake (Mason Thames) is now 17, but he is still dealing with the pain and guilt from surviving The Grabber. The story now mainly focuses on his younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), who plays a key role in the movie. Gwen’s psychic powers have grown stronger, and she starts having unsettling dream messages from the black phone, which connects her to three kids who were killed many years ago at a remote Christian youth camp called Alpine Lake, covered in snow. Eager to uncover the truth and put an end to their family's ongoing nightmare—sadly linked to their deceased mother’s history—Gwen convinces Finney to join her on a trip to the secluded camp in the middle of a fierce winter storm.
Bringing back The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) as a demonic, vengeful spirit is the biggest risk for the film, and it pays off as its most engaging element. Now free from his physical body, the masked killer—still terrifying—gains massive power in the dream world. There, he can inflict wounds in ways that show up in the real world. These dream scenes, shot with a grainy, unsettling look, are truly frightening. Hawke delivers a brief but powerful performance of pure evil, making The Grabber's return surprisingly captivating.
Madeleine McGraw completely takes on the challenging role, propelling the movie forward with a strong, raw performance that is the opposite of Thames's quiet and traumatized Finney. She is the heart of the story, fueled by the worry that her powers could result in the same outcome as her mother's, whose hidden link to the camp and The Grabber is uncovered in a devastating way. The remote location of Alpine Lake Camp, covered by a heavy snowstorm, creates a perfectly suffocating environment and haunting fear that cannot be escaped.
However, the film falters in its need to over-explain the supernatural elements. In the second half of the movie, it is filled with long explanations, where characters gather to unravel complex rules about how to defeat the dead and how the history of the Blake family connects to the villain’s backstory. This excessive focus on building the myths spoils the suspense. It takes away the creepy mystery of the original movie and replaces it with lots of detail that, in the end, makes the story less frightening.
Despite some missteps in the story, The Black Phone 2 is a very impressive and bold horror sequel. It doesn’t just repeat the story of the basement and the phone; instead, it takes what worked in the first film and expands on it with a larger, more intense, and deeper look at family trauma and psychic abilities. This film serves as a valuable addition that shows Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill understand how to create a horror movie that is impactful.