Universal Pictures releases Black Phone 2 in UK cinemas from October 17, 2025.
Synopsis
The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).
Review
When The Black Phone came to an end—with Finney killing The Grabber and the ghosts finding peace—it felt like a definitive end. A one and done tale. A sequel wasn’t just unnecessary; it felt nearly impossible without cheapening the original’s cathartic finale. The finality of the first film’s basement struggle made the idea of a follow-up feel like a pure cash-grab. Yet, director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill rose to the challenge with unexpected success, delivering a surprisingly good follow-up that not only justifies its existence but bravely shifts the threat in unexpected ways, albeit leaning more towards Freddy Kruger than your standard slasher.
Black Phone 2 smartly shifts the narrative, placing the focus squarely on a now-older Gwen (Madeleine McGraw, whose performance is solid), four years after the events of the first film. No longer just a side character, she is forced to confront and harness her psychic abilities when The Grabber (Ethan Hawke, terrifying as ever) finds a chilling way to haunt the living from beyond the grave. This resurrection is handled well, turning him from a physical menace into a truly chilling, almost Freddy Krueger-esque figure who preys on emotional weakness.
The strong performances across the board anchor the high-concept premise, particularly Mason Thames’ return as a deeply traumatised Finn, who is struggling with PTSD, and McGraw, who steps effortlessly into the lead role, channeling genuine grit and innocent determination against impossible odds. Hawke, despite being a ghostly manifestation, manages to make the masked killer feel even more menacing through nightmare sequences and cryptic threats that reveal a deeper connection to the sibling’s past.
The story is genuinely fun, trading the confined, grounded basement horror of the first film for a beautiful but desolate winter christian camp. The film fully embraces the supernatural logic, using creative visuals of old Super 8 grain footage to show the dream/nightmare realm. Mixing in the ghostly scenes from the first film with the bright white landscape creates an interesting juxtaposition . The tension builds relentlessly, culminating in a deeply satisfying confrontation that pays tribute to classic ’80s horror while retaining the film’s unique emotional core—the powerful sibling bond between Finn and Gwen. While it occasionally stumbles with taking way too long to really kick off as well as some long winded dialogue necessary to explain the new rules and the family’s now shared history with The Grabber, the sheer audacity and confident execution make Black Phone 2 a rare sequel that doesn’t just rehash the first act, but successfully unlocks a whole new level of fear.
Now the question is, will they try to do it a third time?
Verdict
Ultimately, Black Phone 2 delivers a fantastic and sometimes scary sequel to the hit original film. While it takes a while to get going, when it does it does so with a good pace and some entertaining set pieces. The game against The Grabber has now changed so whether or not we see him again remains to be confirmed but they stuck the landing with this one just in time for the Halloween Season!
⭐⭐⭐⭐
