"It Wasn't A Foregone Conclusion": The Black Phone 2 Plot Details Revealed By Scott Derrickson

Feb 3, 2025 - 02:00

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"It Wasn't A Foregone Conclusion": The Black Phone 2 Plot Details Revealed By Scott Derrickson

The Black Phone 2 director and co-writer Scott Derrickson has revealed plot details for the sequel. The original horror film, based on a Joe Hill short story, saw Finney (Mason Thames) defeat The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) using a disconnected, but supernaturally charged, phone that allowed the ghosts of previous victims to speak. Released in 2021, the movie was praised by audiences, became a commercial success for Universal and Blumhouse, and featured at Halloween Horror Nights 31. The Black Phone 2 was later confirmed and is set to premiere on October 17, but its story has largely been kept under wraps.

During a recent interview with Screen Rant at the Sundance Film Festival, Derrickson teased the upcoming sequel. Filming is complete, but he explained that making The Black Phone 2 was not something he initially planned. The director added that, because much of the cast had grown, the movie focuses on its characters in high school. Read more of Derrickson’s comments below:

A lot of surprises, for sure. I just finished shooting Black Phone 2, and what I can tell you is that I didn't feel obliged to make a sequel. It wasn't a foregone conclusion that I would make a sequel.

But I realized that if I made a big movie after Black Phone, which was The Gorge, by the time I was ready to shoot another film, all those kids would've been in high school. So, it's basically a high school coming-of-age movie in the same way that the first movie was a middle school coming-of-age film.

What This Means For The Black Phone 2

The Sequel Will Feature A Time Jump

It was previously announced that Thames and Hawke would return for The Black Phone 2, as well as Jeremy Davies, Miguel Mora, and Madeleine McGraw, who portrayed Finney’s younger sister, Gwen. Because Finney was thirteen-years-old, and his age and grade level in the sequel remain unclear, the time jump between installments could play a significant role. However, there is still a major question surrounding The Grabber and his involvement. The serial abductor’s fate seemed definite, as Finney kills him with a phone cord, but even if he was somehow alive, the police would have found him in the basement.

Ethan Hawke as The Grabber from The Black Phone against V/H/S/85 backdrop

A Black Phone Spinoff Quietly Released In 2023 (& Was One Of The Best In Its Franchise)

Scott Derrickson quietly released a Black Phone spinoff in 2023 as part of V/H/S/85, and it was one of the best in the found footage horror franchise.

With the upcoming sequel centering on high school, in what capacity The Grabber comes back and how Finney deals with him may be additional questions. When The Black Phone ended, Finney had become more confident and surviving The Grabber made him known among his classmates, but having to face that trauma after so many years would likely be horrifying for him. A time jump, whether large or small, also leads to uncertainty about the titular device and how it will be used again, considering it belonged to one of The Grabber’s homes.

Our Take On The Black Phone 2 Plot Details

A Lot Of The Movie Remains A Secret

Ethan Hawke wearing a mask as The Grabber in The Black Phone

Derrickson’s comments about The Black Phone 2 taking place in high school provide some new details about the movie, but ultimately, there is so much unknown. The story itself, how Finney and Gwen get pulled back into another terrifying circumstance, and what The Grabber does this time around, have not been revealed. That should leave plenty of room for theories, though, and positions The Black Phone 2 as one of the most anticipated horror films of 2025.

Source: Screen Rant