2021’s The Black Phone was a massive hit for Blumhouse, taking in $90 million domestically and another $71 million in the foreign market based on a budget of no more than $18 million. With that, it’s really no surprise they greenlit a sequel. So how is Black Phone 2 faring upon initial reactions straight out of its debut at Fantastic Fest?
Check out some of the first reviews of Black Phone 2 below:
The Black Phone did quite well with critics but it’s looking as if Black Phone 2 is just the sort of sequel that has enough to build on everything the original established in 2021. It’s also becoming clear that Blumhouse has found its next icon that it can use as one of their premiere examples of why they’re one of the leading studios in horror; and really, between The Grabber and M3GAN, they’ve got two figures their target demographic can latch onto – that they can be exploited via ventures like Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights is also a major get for them.
The Black Phone 2 shattered my expectations. Imagine Sinister colliding with Nightmare on Elm Street—pure nightmare fuel. The Grabber is officially the new face of Blumhouse. Terrifying, thrilling, and relentless. Mason Thames is great, but Madeleine McGraw steals the whole movie… pic.twitter.com/dgLWPlJDet
— AccordingtosethFantastic Fest (@according2seth) September 21, 2025
Here is the official synopsis of Black Phone 2: “Ethan Hawke returns to the most sinister role of his career as The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake. Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.”
Black Phone 2 hits theaters on October 17th, although Blumhouse will be wrapping up their 2025 with yet another franchise, Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.
What do you make of the first reactions to Black Phone 2? Are you going to be checking it out on opening weekend? Give us a ring and let us know below!
The post Black Phone 2 first reactions: Is Blumhouse sequel great or phoning it in? appeared first on JoBlo.
No comments:
Post a Comment