After a challenging year for Blumhouse, The Black Phone 2 has emerged as a crucial box office hit, captivating audiences and critics alike with its chilling continuation of Finn and Gwen’s story and solidifying horror’s dominant position in 2025.
The highly anticipated sequel, The Black Phone 2, has made a resounding splash, not only by thrilling horror fans but also by delivering a much-needed boost to Blumhouse’s recent box office performance. Opening on October 17, 2025, the film quickly established itself as a commercial triumph and a critical favorite, underscoring the enduring power of original horror franchises.
Blumhouse’s Pivotal Moment
Leading up to its release, The Black Phone 2 carried significant expectations for Blumhouse, a studio celebrated for its innovative and profitable horror entries like Paranormal Activity and Get Out. However, 2024 and 2025 proved to be a rocky period for the studio, with a string of commercial disappointments. Misses like Imaginary and Fear in 2024, followed by 2025’s Wolf Man, Woman’s in the Yard, Drop, and the particularly devastating performance of M3GAN 2.0 (which only grossed $39 million globally against a $25 million budget, compared to the original’s $182 million), put immense pressure on this sequel.
The success of The Black Phone 2 was therefore not just a win, but a pivotal moment. The original 2022 film, based on Joe Hill‘s short story, was a smash hit, opening to $23.6 million and ultimately grossing $161.4 million worldwide against a modest $18 million budget. The sequel needed to replicate this performance to help Blumhouse regain its footing, and it has done so with impressive results.
A Gripping Return to the Black Phone
Directed once again by Scott Derrickson, who co-wrote the screenplay with C. Robert Cargill, The Black Phone 2 brings back the core cast and a chilling new narrative. The story picks up with Finn Blake (played by Mason Thames), now 17 years old, still struggling profoundly with life after his traumatic captivity by the Grabber.
Meanwhile, Finn’s sister, Gwen Blake (Madeleine McGraw), begins receiving disturbing calls in her dreams from the black phone. These spectral communications are accompanied by visions of three boys being stalked at a remote winter camp known as Alpine Lake. Determined to unravel this chilling mystery, Gwen and Finn decide to visit the camp during a severe storm, only to find themselves confronted by the seemingly undead Grabber (Ethan Hawke), who appears to have returned from beyond the grave, embracing a new, terrifyingly supernatural persona likened to Freddy Krueger.
The film’s runtime is 114 minutes, offering fans an extensive dive back into this dark world. The returning cast, including Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Ethan Hawke, along with new addition Demián Bichir as the Supervisor of Alpine Lake, ensures continuity and depth to the unfolding horror.
Box Office Triumph and Critical Acclaim
The Black Phone 2 defied pre-release estimates, which projected a domestic debut in the range of $20 to $28 million. Instead, it opened to an impressive $26.5 million domestically and a robust $42 million globally in its premiere weekend. This stellar performance earned it the number one spot on both charts and allowed it to comfortably surpass its estimated $30 million budget, signaling a significant financial victory for Blumhouse and Universal Pictures, as reported by Entertainment Weekly.
This success contributes to a remarkable trend for the horror genre in 2025, marking the 11th weekend this year that a horror film has topped the box office. It joins other genre hits like Sinners, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Weapons, and The Conjuring: Last Rites in dominating the theatrical landscape.
Critics have largely embraced the sequel, with The Black Phone 2 debuting with a strong 77% Rotten Tomatoes score from an initial aggregation of 22 critics, as noted by Rotten Tomatoes. This score is comparable to the original film’s Certified Fresh rating of 81% from 272 reviews. Positive reviews highlight the film as a “fantastic sequel” that “explores new roads and adds to the experience of the first film,” with some critics awarding it perfect scores.
This critical endorsement, combined with its box office performance, positions The Black Phone 2 as a prime horror choice for the Halloween season and a vital success story for Blumhouse.
The Future of the Franchise
The impressive reception for The Black Phone 2 bodes well for the future of the franchise. Such strong box office and critical approval could pave the way for a third installment, a significant achievement for director Scott Derrickson, whose previous Blumhouse collaboration, Sinister, only spawned one sequel. The rising profile of lead actor Mason Thames, who has since starred in projects like the live-action remake of How to Train Your Dragon and the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s Regretting You, further enhances the franchise’s potential appeal.
With The Black Phone 2, Blumhouse has not only delivered a chilling cinematic experience but also reaffirmed its position as a powerhouse in the horror genre, demonstrating that original ideas and compelling storytelling continue to resonate deeply with audiences.
