Black Phone 2 Is Full Of ‘Retro Horror Vibes,’ But Are Critics Feeling Grabbed By The Sequel?

For those who like to turn up the scares this time of year, there are plenty of upcoming horror movies set to hit the 2025 movie calendar this month and beyond. Among those is Black Phone 2 , the sequel to the 2022 book-to-screen adaptation of a Joe Hill short story. Scott Derrickson has returned as director and co-screenwriter, with Ethan Hawke back as The Grabber. Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Jeremy Davies also reprise their roles. So what are critics saying?

The first movie got positive feedback from critics — including 4.5 out of 5 stars from our own Corey Chichizola — so how does the sequel measure up? Well, it’s “better,” if you ask Stephen King , and in CinemaBlend’s review of Black Phone 2 , Nick Venable would agree, saying the follow-up is “haunting, h