Black Phone 2
Directed by Scott Derrickson
Written by C. Robert Cargill, Scott Derrickson
Starring Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw
Release Date October 17th, 2025
A horror sequel done right: Black Phone 2 reunites Finney and Gwen in a nightmare at Camp Alpine, delivering chilling visuals, emotional stakes, and a terrifying evolution of The Grabber. Our full review dives into what works — and what doesn’t, with no spoilers.
Revisiting the Black Phone Universe
When The Black Phone hit theaters in 2022, few expected it to become one of the most emotionally resonant horror films in years. Beneath the jump scares and supernatural tension, Scott Derrickson crafted a moving story about survival, childhood trauma, and the unbreakable bond between siblings.
That emotional core returns in The Black Phone 2, a sequel that takes the story to chilling new territory — both literally and psychologically. The Grabber may be gone, but death is no barrier in Derrickson’s eerie world. And the psychic connection between Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) and Finney (Mason Thames) is about to be tested in ways that reach far beyond the grave.
The Plot: Nightmares Return at Camp Alpine
Haunted by vivid dreams of lost children, Gwen begins seeing visions of a snow-covered camp in the Colorado mountains — Camp Alpine, where their late mother once worked as a counselor. When the camp starts hiring teens for the winter season, Gwen feels an irresistible pull to go.
Finney, still scarred from his time in The Grabber’s basement, wants no part of it. He’s turned to avoidance and self-medication, ignoring the static-filled phone calls that still echo from the other side. But when Gwen heads to the camp with her friend Ernie (Miguel Mora), Finney follows — driven by a need to protect her from whatever’s calling out from beyond.
At Camp Alpine, an old telephone booth becomes a portal — a new conduit between Finney and The Grabber. As Gwen’s dreams grow more violent, she faces the decaying, vengeful corpse of The Grabber himself, now seeking to destroy Gwen as punishment for her brother’s defiance.
Character Depth and Emotional Stakes
What made The Black Phone stand apart from standard horror was its emotional intelligence — and Derrickson hasn’t lost that touch. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw again deliver phenomenal performances, portraying trauma and courage with nuance. Their chemistry as siblings remains the film’s heartbeat.
Finney’s arc is especially grounded. His guilt and avoidance feel painfully real, while Gwen’s faith and empathy drive her toward danger. Together, they give the supernatural story a deeply human center — one that elevates the scares beyond mere shock value.
Derrickson’s Visual Mastery: Cold, Claustrophobic, and Beautiful
Derrickson sets this sequel in an environment designed to mirror the characters’ emotional frost. Camp Alpine is an icy labyrinth of grief and memory. Snow falls constantly, blood glows crimson against the white, and the orange flicker of cabin heaters barely pushes back the cold.
The cinematography contrasts this stark realism with Gwen’s dream world — filmed in grainy, almost decayed textures that feel pulled from another realm. There’s no cheap ambiguity between dream and reality; instead, Derrickson creates two distinct spaces, each equally terrifying.
It’s both visually striking and thematically sharp: the divide between life and death, memory and presence, becomes a living part of the story.
The Grabber Reimagined
Bringing The Grabber back from the dead could have been a lazy franchise trick — but Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill treat it as an opportunity to explore grief and vengeance in the afterlife.
Ethan Hawke’s return is brief but unforgettable. His performance, distorted through decay and spectral rage, transforms The Grabber into something closer to a demonic myth than a serial killer. It’s a haunting reminder that evil doesn’t end with death — it lingers, festers, and waits to be answered.
The Ending: Controversial but Earned
Without spoiling the details, The Black Phone 2 builds to a finale that’s as divisive as it is emotional. Some audiences may debate its ambiguity, but for those invested in Gwen and Finney’s journey, it lands as a fitting, even cathartic close.
If this is where the series ends, it’s a powerful final note — a story about the cost of survival, the weight of memory, and the unbreakable power of love.
Final Verdict
The Black Phone 2 is that rare horror sequel that honors its predecessor while deepening the mythology and emotion at its core. It’s chilling, beautifully shot, and anchored by two remarkable young actors.
Scott Derrickson proves again that he’s among the most thoughtful filmmakers working in horror today — a director who knows that the most terrifying ghosts are the ones we carry inside.
Rating: 4.5/5 — A haunting, heartfelt sequel that delivers both scares and soul.
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