---
title: "Black Phone 2"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/black-phone-2"
fi1m_id: "black-phone-2"
imdb_id: "tt29644189"
tmdb_id: 1197137
wikidata_id: "Q124435493"
fi1m_score: 64
critics_score: 67
critics_reviews: 19
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:48.971716+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Black Phone 2 (2025)

Directed by Scott Derrickson · 1h 54m · MPA R · Horror, Thriller

## Identity

Black Phone 2

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/black-phone-2
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** black-phone-2
- **IMDb ID:** tt29644189
- **TMDB ID:** 1197137
- **Wikidata ID:** Q124435493
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt29644189/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1197137, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q124435493

**Fi1m score: 64** · Critics 67 from 19 reviews

*In a sentence:* Ethan Hawke haunts a Christian camp in a mask, and the film keeps stopping to pray

> Scott Derrickson takes his dead killer out of the basement and into the snow, and the dream sequences, shot on grainy, skipping film, are the best thing in either picture. Around them sits a great deal of explaining, and a sermon we did not order.

## Synopsis

Some years after Finn (Mason Thames) climbed out of the Grabber’s basement, the man who put him there is dead and the telephone has not stopped. His sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), who found him last time through her dreams, is dreaming again: of snow, of a camp in the mountains, of a phone ringing where no phone should be. She persuades Finn to go with her. Ethan Hawke returns as the voice behind the mask, and the Grabber, no longer troubled by a body, can now reach the children where they sleep. Demián Bichir, Miguel Mora and Arianna Rivas are among the people they find there; Jeremy Davies returns as their father. Scott Derrickson directs from a script written with C. Robert Cargill.

## Review

The first *Black Phone* (2021) was one boy, one basement and one telephone that had no business working. Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, who wrote that film and write this one, have decided they cannot simply do it again, and they are right not to try. So the Grabber is dead, the phone still rings, and the calls have moved out of the cellar and into Gwen’s sleep. The result is bigger, colder and stranger than the original. It is also a good deal more talkative.

The borrowing is open. Wes Craven’s *A Nightmare on Elm Street* (1984) put a dead killer to work in dreams, and Derrickson takes the idea whole and adds snow. Finn (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) follow her dreams to a Christian camp in the mountains, deep in winter, and the film settles in. Patti Podesta gives the camp low buildings, wood panelling and a great many empty bunks, and Pär M. Ekberg shoots the waking scenes in flat, overcast grey. The dreams are something else: grainy, flickering, scratched, the colour drained to rust and pale blue, cut as if the camera kept running out of film. We always know which world we are in a second before the characters do.

Atticus Derrickson scores it with a slow electronic pulse, mostly low notes, that rises when the film crosses into a dream and stops dead when it comes back, and Louise Ford cuts those crossings hard, without warning, so that a bunk room can become a snowfield between one shot and the next. This is confident, patient work, and the first hour is frightening in a way the first film managed only in bursts. Amelia Andrews dresses everyone in padded coats and woollen hats, which sounds like nothing until you notice how much it slows people down when they need to run.

It is Gwen’s film, and McGraw is up to it. She was the best thing in the original, a small furious girl swearing at heaven, and here she carries the fear, the plot and most of the jokes without once asking for our sympathy. Thames plays Finn as a boy who got out and did not come back whole, quiet and quick to anger. Ethan Hawke is once again mostly a mask and a voice, and the voice, soft and pleased with itself, is worse than any face could be. Demián Bichir brings a tired decency to Armando, and Jeremy Davies returns as the father, Terrence, with more to do than last time.

Here is what we felt. An early dream, Gwen alone in the camp while the picture jumps and the sound drops out, had us gripping the armrest; we were frightened, properly, and glad of it. Then the film began to explain. Somewhere past the hour a grown-up sits two teenagers down to tell them how the dead work, what the phone is for and why the Grabber can do what he does, and we felt the evening leak away. It happens more than once.

That is the trouble. The first film had one rule and never stated it. This one has a dozen, states all of them, and every rule makes the Grabber a little smaller. A killer who can be anywhere is frightening; a killer with terms and conditions is a problem to be solved. The Christianity does not help either. Gwen’s praying was one of the best things in the original. Here the film keeps stopping so that someone can tell us what it means, and the last half hour has more speeches about trauma than it has scares.

Against Derrickson’s own record it sits between *Sinister* (2012), which also frightened us with old film stock and then over-explained it, and the first *Black Phone*, which knew when to stop. Against *Elm Street* it is the well-behaved cousin: same premise, no jokes, homework afterwards.

See it for the first hour and for McGraw, in a cinema if you can, where the dreams are large and the sound of the film skipping in the gate does its work. It runs 114 minutes and carries an 18, which the kills earn. Do not expect the basement. The film has left it, and it was right to.

*Fi1m score 64, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Black Phone 2, though the spread is wide. The praise clusters on the dream sequences, with reviewers repeatedly noting the grainy 8mm footage, the frostbitten dream logic and the wintry camp setting, and on the young cast: Thames and McGraw are singled out often, as is Ethan Hawke’s voice work as the Grabber. Several reviews call it better and stranger than the original, and the shift in focus to Gwen is generally welcomed.

The reservations cluster on the plotting: convoluted supernatural rules, exposition dumps in the second half, and a moralising Christian streak that some find pious. A minority say that leaving the basement lets out the tension the first film had. The dissent is sharp rather than mild: the Los Angeles Times calls it dreadfully boring, and the Guardian finds the Grabber reduced to a low-rent Freddy Krueger who no longer scares. The Nightmare on Elm Street comparison turns up in almost every review, approvingly and otherwise.

## Straight answers

**Is Black Phone 2 worth watching?**

*Black Phone 2* is worth watching for horror viewers who will forgive a strong first hour giving way to a talkative second, and we scored it 64. The dream sequences, shot on grainy, skipping film, are the best thing in either picture, and Madeleine McGraw carries the film. Past the hour it stops to explain its rules and preach, and the scares thin out.

**How long is Black Phone 2, and what is it rated?**

*Black Phone 2* runs 1h 54m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a horror and thriller film.

**Where can I watch Black Phone 2 in the US?**

*Black Phone 2* is streaming on Netflix in the US, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video from $3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Black Phone 2, and is it suitable for children?**

*Black Phone 2* carries an 18 certificate in the UK and an R in the US, and the kills earn it; this is not a film for children. The early dream sequences are properly frightening, with the picture jumping and the sound dropping out, and the Grabber's soft voice behind the mask unsettles more than any face. Squeamish adults should expect graphic violence.

**How does Black Phone 2 compare to A Nightmare on Elm Street?**

*Black Phone 2* takes its central idea, a dead killer reaching children in their dreams, from [*A Nightmare on Elm Street*](https://film.one/film/a-nightmare-on-elm-street), and the earlier film is the better of the two. Craven's film has jokes and malicious invention; Derrickson's is colder, more serious and explains far more than it needs to. Choose *Elm Street* for the wit and *Black Phone 2* for the snowbound atmosphere and McGraw's performance.

**What should I watch after Black Phone 2?**

After *Black Phone 2*, try [*A Nightmare on Elm Street*](https://film.one/film/a-nightmare-on-elm-street) (1984, Fi1m 83): The dead-killer-in-dreams idea at its source, with jokes this film declined to borrow. Then [*Let the Right One In*](https://film.one/film/let-the-right-one-in) (2008, Fi1m 88): Swedish snow, two lonely children and something that comes at night; patient and sad.

### Reviews we read (21)

- **Little White Lies**, Anton Bitel (3/4/3): The critic sees it as a classic slasher sequel with the Grabber resurrected, comparing it to Nightmare on Elm Street 3 on ice; praises the visual coding of dream and real worlds but complains it's too nice and sermonising with Christian themes. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-black-phone-2)
- **Radio Times**, Jeremy Aspinall (4/5): Gripping sequel embraces the paranormal and gruesomeness; singles out the performances of Thames and McGraw and unsettling dream sequences. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/black-phone-2-review/)
- **Slant Magazine** (80/100, inferred): The film offers an eerie, tactile plunge into dreamscapes that collapses dreams, reality, past, and present, expanding the mythos with frostbitten dream logic and 8mm footage. It finds faith in the young protagonists' resilience amid its Christian bent and supernatural elements. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawke-scott-derrickson/)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (80/100, inferred): The critic praises the artful sequel for its evocative analog texture, hypnotic electronic score, and ability to keep scares coming in a cross between a ghost movie and A Nightmare on Elm Street. It succeeds by devising a formula where ghosts and serial killers both come calling, with strong direction and design choices. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/the-black-phone-2-review-1236543100/)
- **The AV Club**, Tomris Laffly (B): The sequel successfully throws back to 1980s slashers like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street while delivering graphic horror and throwback atmosphere beyond mere nostalgia. It belongs to the young cast and their resilience amid upsetting visuals and dream logic. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/black-phone-2-review)
- **The New York Times**, Brandon Yu (75/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel creates a more cohesive picture than the original while deploying a new bag of scary tricks. It ties together disparate strands from the first film through the Grabber's return and new supernatural elements involving dreams and family trauma. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/16/movies/black-phone-2-review.html)
- **Vulture** (75/100, inferred): The film earns credit for daring to be different and weirder than the original, liberating itself into unsettling dream sequences and stylization like a poisoned tone poem. It improves on the first by making Gwen the more compelling character. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-black-phone-2-is-a-lot-weirder-than-the-first-one.html)
- **IndieWire**, Katie Rife (70/100, inferred): The film delivers a grisly sequel indebted to Nightmare on Elm Street, with Ethan Hawke channeling Freddy Krueger in a bloody, genre-hitting horror outing. It plays the hits effectively in its festival context. [Read](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/the-black-phone-2-horror-movie-review-1235152348/)
- **Time Out**, Olly Richards (3/5): Sequel lets events out of the basement, releasing tension and exposing thin conceit; still has chills but less sharp than original. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-black-phone-2-review-2025)
- **Screen Daily** (40/100, inferred): Rote horror sequel retreading familiar ground with diminishing returns; superficial creepy fun but not as effective. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawke-returns-in-scott-derricksons-rote-horror-sequel/5209987.article)
- **The Guardian** (30/100, inferred): The critic finds the horror sequel disappointing and unconvincing as a franchise starter, with the Grabber reduced to a joke-free, low-rent Freddy Krueger trapped by convoluted supernatural rules that fail to generate scares. Hawke's presence and the mask are noted positively amid mostly ineffective, self-aware set pieces and unnecessary complications. [Read](https://theguardian.com/film/2025/oct/16/black-phone-2-review-horror-sequel-ethan-hawke)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Katie Walsh (20/100, inferred): The critic calls the sequel dreadfully boring and a snooze, criticizing its monotonous, dour, and one-note narrative that borrows heavily from Nightmare on Elm Street while feeling oddly pious. Action-heavy dream sequences fail to compensate for standing-around speeches about trauma and backstories. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-10-16/black-phone-2-review-scott-derrickson-ethan-hawke-mason-thames-madeleine-mcgraw)
- **Empire**, Helen O’Hara: The sequel commendably tries to do something different with its tone and approach by focusing on lingering trauma, but it isn’t nearly as terrifying as the first film. The performances are committed and the new focus on Gwen works in places, but the result is interesting without being quite compelling. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/black-phone-2/)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Frank Scheck: The sequel is an ambitious and mostly successful follow-up that leans into its convoluted plot with genuine emotion and religious themes. It excels thanks to Ethan Hawke's chilling voice performance as the Grabber and strong work from the young leads. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawke-1236401733/)
- **/Film**, Rafael Motamayor (9/10): The critic calls it a fantastic sequel that explores new avenues and improves on the first film in nearly every way. They single out the shift in protagonist to Gwen, the grainy dream sequences with retro aesthetics, and the coherent return of the Grabber as a Freddy Krueger-like figure. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1974280/black-phone-2-review/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (80/100, inferred): The critic calls the sequel a compelling psychological horror picture that stands above most cash-in follow-ups thanks to its deliberate setup and atmospheric winter camp setting. They single out the returning young leads' performances and Ethan Hawke's creepy vocal turn as The Grabber for particular praise. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/10/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawkes-the-grabber-is-back-and-theres-hell-to-pay-in-this-chiller-of-a-sequel-1236590409/)
- **NME**, Jordan Bassett (80/100, inferred): This wildly imaginative sequel is better than the original, with lusher sets, gorier kills, and a nastier Grabber in a post-modern remix of genre classics. The mountain resort setting offers grand psychological horror, though the Grabber arrives late and the final act grows convoluted. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawke-blumhouse-mason-thames-3897796)
- **Collider**, Jeff Ewing (7/10): The critic finds it a mixed bag with excellent performances, especially Hawke as a scarier Grabber and strong direction, but criticizes clunky dialogue, heavy-handed themes, and slow pacing. [Read](https://collider.com/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawke-grabber-scott-derrickson/)
- **Den of Geek**, Joe George (3.5/5): The film is often moralizing but delivers its message with energy and skilled kills, making it effective horror cinema. It stumbles through narrative mechanics and lore but excels in staged attacks, dream sequences, performances (especially McGraw), and its wintry Christian camp setting. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/black-phone-2-review-slasher-kills-ethan-hawke/)
- **The Wrap** (65/100, inferred): The review finds the first hour terrifying and a strong horror sequel that deepens the heroes and makes the villain newly supernatural, but faults the second half for clunky exposition dumps and silly elements like magic ice skates. It singles out the well-written characters and ethereal dream sequences for praise in the strong opening section. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/the-black-phone-2-review/)
- **Polygon**, Tasha Robinson (60/100, inferred): The sequel is scarier and more ambitious but loses the original's focused intensity in favor of messy, overpacked supernatural effects and action, feeling like an indiscriminate buffet. [Read](https://www.polygon.com/black-phone-2-review/)

## Details

- **Director:** Scott Derrickson
- **Director:** Scott Derrickson
- **Writer:** Scott Derrickson, C. Robert Cargill
- **Cinematography:** Pär M. Ekberg
- **Editor:** Louise Ford
- **Music:** Atticus Derrickson
- **Production design:** Patti Podesta
- **Costume design:** Amelia 'Amy' Andrews
- **Producer:** Jason Blum, C. Robert Cargill, Scott Derrickson
- **Cast:** Mason Thames as Finn; Madeleine McGraw as Gwen; Ethan Hawke as Grabber; Demián Bichir as Armando; Miguel Cazarez Mora as Ernesto; Jeremy Davies as Terrence; Arianna Rivas as Mustang; Maev Beaty as Barbara
- **Runtime:** 1h 54m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 17 October 2025
- **Genres:** Horror, Thriller
- **Budget:** $30 million
- **Box office:** $133 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWNucAcRoBY

## Where to watch in the US

- Netflix: streaming
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $3.99, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IN, IS, IT, JP, LT, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, UA, US. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *A Nightmare on Elm Street* (1984), Fi1m 83: The dead-killer-in-dreams idea at its source, with jokes this film declined to borrow. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/a-nightmare-on-elm-street.md)
- *Let the Right One In* (2008), Fi1m 88: Swedish snow, two lonely children and something that comes at night; patient and sad. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/let-the-right-one-in.md)
- *The Devil's Backbone* (2001): Del Toro’s orphanage ghost story, where the dead have reasons and the living have worse ones.
- *Sinister* (2012): Derrickson’s earlier fright with old film reels; the footage still works, the lore still does not.
- *The Innocents* (2021): Norwegian children with powers on a housing estate; quieter, crueller, and far less talk.

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/black-phone-2