Director Scott Derrickson’s adaptation of the Joe Hill quick story The Black Cellphone was well-received by critics and the final viewers alike. 83% of the opinions listed on Rotten Tomatoes are optimistic, and extra importantly it earned over $161 million on the field workplace on a finances of slightly below $20 million. The Black Cellphone didn’t seem to lend itself to being sequelized all that effectively. The story stands by itself and is wrapped up by the point the top credit begin rolling… however when one thing is as profitable as this film was, that opens the sequel door. Certainly, Common Footage and Blumhouse Productions has introduced that Black Cellphone 2 might be launched on October 17, 2025 (having moved again from a June launch date) – and the intention is that this sequel would be the “launch of a sinister new franchise.”
Right here’s The whole lot We Know About Black Cellphone 2
Earlier than we get began, a reminder of what The Black Cellphone was all about. Mason Thames starred as Finney Shaw, a shy however intelligent 13-year-old boy, who’s kidnapped by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement the place screaming is of little use. When a disconnected cellphone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s earlier victims. And they’re lifeless set on ensuring that what occurred to them doesn’t occur to Finney. Madeleine McGraw had a memorable function as Finney’s sister Gwen, who has psychic visions in her desires (similar to their mother did), and Ethan Hawke performed the mask-wearing youngster killer, The Grabber.
Black Cellphone 2: The Solid
Many of the forged is coming again for the sequel, together with Mason Thames as Finney Shaw, Madeleine McGraw as Finney’s sister Gwen, Jeremy Davies as their dad Terrence, and Miguel Mora, whose solely earlier credit score is The Black Cellphone, as Robin, a buddy of Finney’s who was killed within the first film. Plus, Ethan Hawke is reprising the function of the child-killer referred to as The Grabber. However how is that attainable, given the truth that he was killed off on the finish of the final movie? Because it seems, demise was not sufficient to cease this man. In reality, it appears to have made him much more highly effective, turning him right into a supernatural being alongside the strains of Freddy Krueger.
New additions embody Demián Bichir of The Hateful Eight, Anna Lore of Hysteria! and Last Vacation spot: Bloodlines, and Arianna Rivas, who beforehand had a supporting function within the comedy Promenade Dates, which was launched by the Hulu streaming service, and had her first lead function within the Jason Statham motion thriller A Working Man.
What’s It About:
It was tough to think about what Black Cellphone 2 could be about, however now now we have an official synopsis to inform us all about it: Ethan Hawke returns to probably the most sinister function of his profession as The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from past the grave by menacing Finn’s youthful sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her desires from the black cellphone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp referred to as Alpine Lake. Decided to resolve the thriller and finish the torment for each her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to go to the camp throughout a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her circle of relatives’s historical past. Collectively, she and Finn should confront a killer who has grown extra highly effective in demise and extra important to them than both might think about.
You wouldn’t assume “Play a Horror Icon in Multiple Sequels” could be on Ethan Hawke’s To Do listing, however Black Cellphone 2 definitely appears to be establishing The Grabber to be somebody who would possibly stick round for some time.
Who’s Directing it
Scott Derrickson directed The Black Cellphone from a screenplay he wrote with C. Robert Cargill, and Derrickson and Cargill have written the screenplay for The Black Cellphone 2 as effectively, and Derrickson is again on the helm. He and Cargill are additionally producing the sequel with Blumhouse’s Jason Blum and Ryan Turek.
Blum advised New York Comedian Con attendees, “When the movie did well, [I asked the filmmakers], ‘Can we figure out a sequel? Some directors say yes, some directors say no. Scott said, ‘Let me and Cargill think about it.’” Derrickson and Cargill ultimately advised him they might make a sequel if Hawke and the remainder of the unique forged might return. Blum stated, “And that was music to my ears.“
Derrickson added, “I didn’t really feel any obligation to do a sequel to The Black Phone, but I got excited by an idea that Cody Hamman Joe Hill sent me shortly after the release of the first film. And what I can also tell you is that in the same way that The Black Phone was a middle school coming-of-age film, this is a high school coming-of-age film.” He went on to say, “I’m hoping to make a movie pretty much as good as, if not higher than, the primary one.“ He additionally advised The Hollywood Reporter, “I didn’t really feel obliged to make a sequel, however Joe Hill got here up with an concept that I appreciated and it grew to become the genesis of what we in the end wrote. I then realized that if I made an enormous film like The Gorge first, the [Black Phone] youngsters [Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw] could be in highschool by the point I completed. So I’d have a window of time with them in highschool, and I might make a highschool coming-of-age film in the identical approach that the unique was a center faculty coming-of-age film. They’re two very completely different sorts of flicks. … [The Black Phone 2] is a way more difficult script. There’s a simplicity to The Black Cellphone, and whereas it’s not at all times straightforward to be easy, [The Black Phone 2] is just not that. This one has a way more difficult world and thought, and it was thrilling to not repeat the primary film. The worst type of horror sequel is the one the place you attempt to do the identical factor once more, however simply extra of it. That goes for any sequel in any style, frankly. So I knew I didn’t wish to try this, and the very best sequels are those that shock you. They actually enterprise into completely different territory altogether and give you a recent expertise, despite the fact that you’re coping with characters that you just’ve grown to care about from the primary movie.“
Filming started at first of November 2024 and wrapped in mid-January 2025.
Advertising
A trailer was proven on the CinemaCon occasion in April, then took its time making its approach on-line. However right here it’s:
And right here’s the second trailer:
First Reactions
Black Cellphone 2 had its world premiere screening at Implausible Fest, and the reactions that dropped on-line after that screening had been very optimistic. Right here’s a pattern:
Black Cellphone 2 has been rated R for sturdy violent content material, gore, teen drug use, and language… and that’s the whole lot we learn about it for now. Will you be heading out to catch this film on the massive display screen in October? Tell us by leaving a remark under.
