Universal Pictures took center stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to unveil exciting new details about The Black Phone 2, the highly anticipated horror sequel. Blumhouse CEO Jason Blum, wearing a Grabber mask for dramatic flair, joined franchise star Madeleine McGraw to share insights into the film’s progress before presenting a brand-new trailer to an eager Colosseum crowd.
The original The Black Phone was a surprise success following its 2022 release, grossing $161 million worldwide against a modest $18 million budget. The film centered around a young boy, portrayed by Mason Thames, who is abducted by the mysterious serial killer known as the Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke. While imprisoned, the boy begins receiving phone calls from the killer’s past victims, leading to a tense and chilling showdown. Directed by Scott Derrickson, the film was based on a short story by Joe Hill, with Derrickson co-writing the script alongside C. Robert Cargill.
At CinemaCon, Blum, joined by McGraw, delved into what fans can expect from the sequel. McGraw shared her excitement about returning to the franchise, recalling that director Derrickson had previously been hesitant to pursue sequels. However, after realizing the potential to take the story to “new and unexpected places,” he embraced the idea of continuing the tale. This is especially notable as Hawke’s Grabber character met his end in the first film.
In a playful moment, McGraw, who was not old enough to watch the R-rated film herself, introduced her sister, Violet McGraw, to the stage to promote her own Blumhouse project, M3GAN 2.0.
The newly released trailer for The Black Phone 2 showcased eerie sequences, including a phone ringing in a desolate telephone booth amidst a snowy tundra. Thames’s character answers the call, leading to an intense confrontation with the Grabber, who ominously asks, “Did you think our story was over?” to which Thames’s character responds, “You’re dead.” The Grabber chillingly replies, “Dead is just a word.”
In a February interview, Derrickson revealed that he hadn’t initially planned a sequel, but was convinced by Hill’s compelling idea. Derrickson, who had also been working on the Apple TV+ film The Gorge, explained that he wanted to wait until the child actors were older before diving into the sequel. “I realized that if I made a big movie like The Gorge first, the [The Black Phone] kids would be in high school by the time I finished,” he said. This timing allowed him to explore a high school coming-of-age angle in the sequel, similar to how the original film explored a middle schooler’s coming-of-age journey.
Derrickson also teased that The Black Phone 2 would not simply rehash the first film’s formula. “This one has a much more complicated world and idea,” he said, noting that the best horror sequels are those that take risks and surprise audiences rather than merely repeating what worked before.
Fans will get their chance to experience The Black Phone 2 when it hits theaters on October 17.
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