Horror sequels often struggle to justify their existence, especially when the villain of the original is already dead. Yet The Black Phone 2 not only finds a compelling reason to return to its chilling universe, it elevates it. Director Scott Derrickson delivers a gripping, emotionally layered sequel that masterfully blends supernatural horror with slasher energy, ensuring The Grabber remains as terrifying in death as he was in life.
Spoilers Ahead for The Black Phone 2
Despite the antagonist’s demise in the first film, Derrickson ingeniously keeps The Grabber at the center of the narrative, this time as a vengeful and far more unpredictable spirit. The result is a bold genre fusion: part ghost story, part slasher revival, and wholly unsettling.
Set several years after Finney Blake’s escape, the sequel explores the long-term emotional consequences of surviving a monster. Now 17, Finney (played brilliantly by Mason Thames) is still scarred by The Grabber, haunted not only by calls from beyond the grave but by suppressed fear and unresolved rage. Thames delivers a gripping performance, capturing the internal turmoil of a teen forced to relive a nightmare the world thinks is over. His every scene radiates tension and pain, making his character arc both heartbreaking and compelling. He is then forced to face his worst fear, to confront The Grabber yet again, which Thames does with incredible intensity.
While Thames’ performance is powerful, Maddy McGraw’s was truly the scene stealer here. Gwen’s clairvoyant abilities, which we see appear in the first film, evolve dramatically here. What once felt like fragments of divine intuition becomes the core of the plot as she finds herself the target of The Grabber’s wrath against Finney from beyond the grave. McGraw shines, portraying Gwen’s journey with maturity, vulnerability, and fierce determination. Her expanded role adds depth to the story, giving the film its emotional backbone and some of its most chilling sequences.
BLACK PHONE 2, from left: Ethan Hawke as The Grabber, Madeleine McGraw, 2025. ph: Robin Cymbaly / © Universal Pictures /Courtesy Everett Collection
The screenplay deepens the lore in surprising ways, tying Finney and Gwen’s present-day horrors to their family’s past. One of the film’s most shocking twists reveals that The Grabber is connected to their late mother, he was the one who killed her. This revelation grounds the supernatural terror in emotional tragedy, giving the stakes new weight and transforming The Grabber from a faceless predator into a symbol of generational trauma. Speaking of family, it’s worth noting that the film sees the bond between Finney, Gwen and their father grow.
The film’s scares are more psychological this time, but that doesn’t mean it lacks brutality. Derrickson weaves together eerie visions, suffocating suspense, and sharp bursts of slasher-style violence. The ghostly encounters are disturbing not just visually, but thematically, forcing characters to face trauma rather than run from it. The sound design and production craft heighten the dread, particularly whenever the black phone rings, still one of the most effective horror devices in the film.
The inclusion of the spirits of a new trio of slain boys remains a central element, but instead of simply guiding Finney and Gwen, the film expands the supernatural rules of this universe. We learn more about The Grabber’s past, the afterlife, unfinished business, and what binds these souls to The Grabber. These additions make the sequel feel purposeful rather than repetitive.
The Black Phone 2 succeeds because it refuses to rehash the original, but it does refrence the original film in subtle ways. It deepens the mythology, raises emotional stakes, and focuses on character as much as horror. It’s a story about the past that won’t let go, about trauma inherited and confronted, and the terrifying truth that some monsters become more dangerous after death.
Anchored by standout performances from Mason Thames and Maddy McGraw with Derrickson’s confident, atmospheric direction, this sequel proves that horror can scare, surprise, and still carry heart.
Unsettling, emotional, and genuinely chilling, The Black Phone 2 is a sequel that honors the original while carving out a bold new direction. It’s rare for a horror sequel to feel this necessaryr, rarer still for it to be this good.
The Black Phone 2 is now available to watch on digital and in theaters.
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