The Black Phone 2: What We Know About the Upcoming Sequel

So, I was just scrolling through my feed the other day, and I saw a post that totally stopped me in my tracks. It was a blurry, fan-made poster for *The Black Phone 2*. My heart did a little jump, I’m not gonna lie.

The first movie was one of those films that just stuck with me for days after I saw it. That creepy mask, the basement, the ringing phone… it all got under my skin in the best way possible. I remember seeing it in a packed IMA theater back in 2021, and the entire audience was dead silent during the tense parts, you could literally hear a pin drop.

Now, it seems like we’re officially getting a sequel, and the details are starting to trickle in. Let’s get the big confirmation out of the way first. Yes, *The Black Phone 2* is real and it’s happening.

Universal Pictures officially announced it in early 2023, and they set a release date almost immediately. Mark your calendars for June 27, 2025. That feels like forever from now, I know, but good horror takes time, right The first film was a massive, runaway hit.

It was made on a budget of just about $18 million, which is nothing in Hollywood terms, and it went on to rake in over $160 million worldwide. When a movie performs like that, a sequel isn’t just a possibility; it’s a guarantee. The studio would be crazy not to greenlight another one.

The most eciting news for me is that the core creative team is returning. Scott Derrickson, the director who masterminded the first film’s terrifying atmosphere, is back in the director’s chair. He’s also co-writing the script again with his frequent collaborator, C.

Robert Cargill. This is huge. So many sequels fail because they change directors and lose the original magic. Having Derrickson back means we can probably epect the same blend of supernatural horror and gritty, real-world tension that made the first one so special.

It won’t feel like a cheap cash-grab; it’ll feel like a continuation of the story he wanted to tell. Now, the big question on everyone’s mind: who’s coming back Well, the star of the show, Ethan Hawke, is confirmed to return as The Grabber. That’s right, the man in the terrifying mask isn’t done yet.

This is fascinating because, well… spoiler alert for the first film… his character seemed pretty definitively dead at the end. But this is a horror movie with supernatural elements. Ghosts can come back, visions can haunt people, or maybe we’ll get a prequel storyline.

Hawke’s performance was so chilling and iconic; it’s hard to imagine a sequel without him in some capacity. As for Finn “Finney” Blake, the brave kid who survived The Grabber’s basement, Mason Thames is also set to reprise his role. This makes perfect sense.

The end of the first movie showed Finney reuniting with his sister, Gwen, and seemingly finding a new sense of strength. His story isn’t necessarily over. And speaking of Gwen, the fantastic Madeleine McGraw is returning as well.

Gwen’s psychic dreams were a key part of solving the mystery in the first film, and I’m eager to see if her abilities grow or if they attract other supernatural problems. That’s the million-dollar question, isn’t it What will the story actually be about Scott Derrickson has been a bit coy with details, as he should be, but he’s dropped a few hints. He’s said that the sequel will continue the story of Finney and Gwen.

It won’t just be another “kid gets kidnapped by The Grabber” plot. He specifically mentioned that the sequel is inspired by the *The Godfather Part II*, in terms of its structure and ambition. Now, I’m not epecting a horror epic about the Corleone family, but that comment suggests a sequel that’s both a continuation and an epansion of the world.

Maybe we’ll see Finney and Gwen dealing with the traumatic aftermath of their ordeal, while a new threat, possibly connected to The Grabber’s past or the supernatural force behind the black phone, emerges. I have a theory, and it’s just my own personal speculation. What if the phone itself is the constant The black phone is a conduit for the dead, right What if it ends up in someone else’s hands Maybe Finney, now older and more aware, has to help another kid, or maybe Gwen starts having even more powerful visions that lead them to a new mystery.

The Grabber could return as a ghost or a malevolent spirit tormenting Finney’s dreams, a constant reminder of the trauma. Ethan Hawke’s presence is just too valuable to waste, so I’m sure they’ve found a clever way to weave him back into the narrative. The first film was set in the 1970s, and that aesthetic was a huge part of its charm and eeriness.

The grainy film look, the classic rock soundtrack, the fashion—it all added up to a perfectly unsettling vibe. I’d be shocked if the sequel abandoned this. I epect we’ll stay in the late 70s or early 80s.

It allows the story to eist in a world without cell phones and instant communication, which is essential for the core concept of a lone, magical landline phone being the only hope for salvation. Beyond the returning cast, there’s always room for new faces. Jeremy Davies, who played the kids’ alcoholic and abusive father, Terrence Blake, could also return to further eplore that fractured family dynamic.

But I’m also hoping for some new characters—perhaps a new villain working in tandem with The Grabber’s legacy, or new victims (or survivors) who can communicate through the phone. The universe has been established, and now there’s so much potential to build upon it. Honestly, the success of the first *The Black Phone* was a bit of a surprise.

In a landscape filled with endless sequels and remakes, it felt fresh and genuinely frightening. It proved that a well-told, character-driven horror story could resonate with a massive audience. The pressure is definitely on for the sequel to deliver.

It has to recapture that magic without feeling like a rehash. But with Derrickson, Hawke, and the young leads all returning, I have a really good feeling about it. It feels like a project they’re all passionate about, not just a studio mandate.

So, there you have it. *The Black Phone 2* is locked in for a summer 2025 release. The gang’s mostly getting back together, and the story is set to dive deeper into the lives of Finney and Gwen Shaw. The wait until June 2025 is going to be a long one, but if it means getting a sequel that’s as thoughtful and terrifying as the original, it’ll be totally worth it.

I’ll definitely be there on opening night, probably in an IMA theater again, ready to be creeped out all over. Now, the speculation and countdown truly begin.