Production company Blumhouse has had a successful year with a string of horror releases. These have included M3GAN, The Exorcist: Believer and, most recently, Five Nights at Freddy’s. Looking at its future slate, in conjunction with Universal Pictures, the studio has announced a release date for The Black Phone 2.
A sequel to 2022’s sleeper hit The Black Phone, the release is currently earmarked for 27th June 2025. No details have been given as to the plot or whether Scott Derrickson will return to directing duties. At present, Universal and Blumhouse have simply stated that The Black Phone 2 is the “launch of a sinister new franchise.”
The phone is ringing
A supernatural horror, the original film starred Ethan Hawke alongside Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davis. Hawke played The Grabber, a sadistic child abductor and murderer. His latest victim is 13-year-old Finney (Thames), who he has locked in a soundproof basement. Unable to escape or alert anyone Finney’s fate seems sealed.
However, the only other item in the basement is a disconnected phone that begins to ring. Answering it, Finney discovers that the caller happens to be the spirits of The Gabber’s previous victims. They teach Finney how to survive and fight back, eventually escaping the Grabber.
Like many of Blumhouse’s productions, The Black Phone was made on a modest budget of $16-18 million. It was commercially very successful, grossing $90.1 million in North America and $161 million worldwide. The film picked up Best Horror Film at the 2022 Saturn Awards and the 2023 Hollywood Critics Association Film Award for Best Horror.
Additionally, Blumhouse is also helping to reboot the comic book anti-hero Spawn. Plus M3GAN 2.0 is planned for 2025.
Did you enjoy the first film? Looking forward to the second? Let us know in the comments below.
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