Black Phone 2 Premieres at Fantastic Fest — Scarier and Wilder, but Missing the First Film’s Quiet Bite
Black Phone 2, the sequel to the 2021 horror hit, premiered at the 2025 Fantastic Fest and is scheduled to reach theaters on Oct 17, 2025. The film reunites writer-director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill, expands the scope of the original, and brings several returning cast members back to the story.
Sequel overview
Black Phone 2 expands the original film’s premise. Whereas the 2021 movie relied on a small, tense setup, the 2025 sequel uses a larger budget and increased supernatural and action elements. The story returns to siblings Finn and Gwen, now four years older, and continues to feature the supernatural phone calls and dream-based phenomena established in the first film.
Cast and crew
The film is written and directed by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. Mason Thames returns as Finney (now Finn) and Madeleine McGraw returns as Gwen. Ethan Hawke reprises his role as The Grabber. Other cast members include Miguel Mora (Eduardo), Demián Bichir (Mondo), Arianna Rivas (Mustang), and Jeremy Davies (the siblings’ father).
Plot and setting
The film follows Finn and Gwen four years after the events of the first film. Gwen’s retrocognitive dreams about murders have intensified, and Finn continues to receive calls from the dead. Finn’s typical response to those calls is: “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you.”
Evidence in the story links the siblings’ past—specifically their dead mother and The Grabber—to a Christian camp in the Colorado mountains. Gwen insists on investigating the camp, and Finn goes along to protect her. Eduardo, who played Robin in the first film, appears as Robin’s younger brother in the sequel.
Tone and effects
The sequel shifts to larger-scale supernatural sequences and visual effects. The filmmakers reference and channel several classic horror motifs, and the film includes more overt action and CG-heavy set pieces than the original.
At the same time, the movie still contains quieter moments of character confrontation. For example, there is a specific scene in which The Grabber and Gwen share a focused exchange about the nature of hell; that scene is presented as a quieter counterpoint to the film’s broader spectacle.
Themes and references
The sequel weaves together multiple threads: trauma and its legacy, the siblings’ supernatural abilities, Gwen’s relationship with religion, a developing bond between Gwen and Eduardo, and family dynamics involving their recovering-alcoholic father.
Derrickson and Cargill explicitly nod to other horror films and motifs. The Grabber’s return and dream-based attacks draw comparisons to Freddy Krueger and the Nightmare on Elm Street series. The Colorado camp setting echoes Friday the 13th, and specific set pieces reference other ’80s horror films, including an ice-skating scene inspired by Curtains (1983).
Additionally, Derrickson and Cargill both identify as Christian; for background, see this interview. Their religious perspective informs parts of the film’s exploration of faith and hypocrisy.
Premiere and release
Black Phone 2 had its world premiere screening at Fantastic Fest in 2025. During the premiere Q&A, C. Robert Cargill said the sequel idea began when Joe Hill called him with what Cargill described as “the dumbest idea” about how The Grabber could return. Cargill’s response at the Q&A was: “I love dumb ideas!”
The film is scheduled to open in theaters on Oct 17, 2025.
