Ethan Hawke is back as The Grabber in director Scott Derrickson’s Black Phone 2. New to 4K UHD from Universal Pictures.
The Film
Black Phone 2 is one of those rare instances where a sequel outdoes its predecessor in every way. The mythos are deeper, the story more resonant, the stakes higher, the horror more effective. Director Scott Dirreckson and company have set up a new Horror Franchise with the kind of care and reverence for character rarely seen in horror or franchise filmmaking.
Picking up four years after the events of The Black Phone, 1982 to be exact, Finney (Mason Thames) is still dealing with the trauma of the first film. Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), whose powers were only hinted at in the first film, has grown into a powerful medium. One who begins to see both her mother (Anna Lore) and the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) in her dreams. Gwen convinces her brother and Ernesto (Miguel Mora) to go to Alpine Lake Camp to investigate. They, along with the camp’s employees, get more than they bargain for as the Grabber has somehow come back as a demon with ties to not only the camp but to Finney and Gwen’s troubled family history.
Many sequels are cash grabs. Quick and easy rehashes of the same story and basic tropes of the original film. This goes double for horror sequels. Black Phone 2 eschews all of that, giving us a film that isn’t a sequel but rather a continuation of the story and expansion of the world of the first film. Director Derrickson working from a script he co-wrote with C. Robert Cargill from an idea by the original Novel’s author Joe Hill, is the perfect melding of character work and effective horror set pieces. The script never loses track of these characters we care about and, more importantly like by giving them justified reasons for their actions, not just excuses for gore-filled set pieces. If the kind of time and care that was spent on this sequel were spent on other horror franchises, we would all be better off.
The other part of the success of Black Phone 2 is its cast, led by Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw. Thames is a true rising star and is having a banner year. Returning to this work as Finney, he’s everything you want in a young lead. The role has evolved as Thames has, and given him some truly wonderful character moments he’s able to play. The real standout is Madeleine McGraw, who stole the original as the foul-mouthed baby sister, Gwen. Gwen is elevated from plucky supporting character to full-on final girl and primary lead in the sequel. This shift in dynamics is what gives the film its dramatic weight.
The rest of the cast is equally great, with Jeremy Davies returning as Finney and Gwen’s now sober dad, and Miguel Mora also returning playing the brother of his character from the first film. Adding in new faces like Demian Bichir, Anna Lore, and Arianna Rivas, in roles that are not just cannon fodder but great characters, only adds to just how thoughtfully special this sequel is. Though none of it would work without Ethan Hawke returning as the Grabber. The actor has found some truly inspired roles in the second half of his career, including this, in what one can only hope turns into an iconic horror monster in the vein of Michael Myers, Jason, and Freddy Krueger.
Black Phone 2 is what one looks for in any sequel, not just a horror one. One that elevates everything that made the original great.
The Transfers
Universal has done a masterful job at bringing Black Phone 2 to 4K UHD. Because the production shot the film with a combination of Digital and Super8, the work here at to be subtle and exact to get the correct look. They have gone above and beyond in what is probably one of the best examples of what is possible with 4K UHD. The image beautifully fluctuates between the small gauge film and digital formats that showcasing the masterful work done by cinematographer Pär M. Ekberg. The Super8 footage is allowed to have the inherent defects and image specifics of that particular format without any cleanup, allowing that intentionally gritty visual style to flourish in the format. In fact, the Dolby Vision/HDR mastering only enhances those specific aspects of the film, creating and more immersive experience on Home Video. The same for the Digitally shot portions of the film. The Dolby Vision/HDR mastering gives depth to the black levels and contrast that just can’t be accomplished with SDR mastering, allowing for a much more detailed, luminous, subtle image, adding again to the immersive experience on Home Video. Bravo to Universal for going above and beyond to create one of the best transfers of 2025.
The Extras
They include the following;
- FEATURE COMMENTARY WITH DIRECTOR/CO-WRITER/PRODUCER SCOTT DERRICKSON
- DELETED SCENES
- DIALED IN: THE CAST OF BLACK PHONE 2
- A STORY CARVED IN ICE
- FROZEN IN TIME
The feature commentary track with Director/Co-Writer/Producer Scott Derrickson begins with the decision to use the Universal Logo from 1982, when their film takes place, and how it was one of the last decisions of the production. Some of the additional details from the track include the opening title sequence, which was shot by executive producer and 2ndUnit Director Maggie Levin, and how it ties into the Grabber’s journey into hell; why he wanted to make a sequel, how the idea came about, and why he chose to make and direct the sequel; the cameo of the show Night Flight and where you can see it now; why he chose to entrust so much of the shoot to 2nd Unit Director Maggie Levin; a larger discussion of the use of Super8 in the film and the reasons why he chose to not go with “fake Super8” (creating it digitally) and also their use of 16mm and they extracted to create a Super8 image; working in the sequel with the younger actors like Madeleine McGraw and Mason Thames; working with Pink Floyd through his career including here and why he uses the track he does; his approach to tension and horror in films and how they build in set pieces; a discussion of the score that was written and produced by his son Atticus Derrickson; casting and working with Demian Bichir; a great discussion of religion/spirituality in the film and how it evolved from the original and the sequel – and his own personal experiences; and much more.
DELETED SCENES (7:47) – which can be accessed individually or through a play-all feature.
- Gwen and Ernesto Talk in the Library (1:15)
- Mustang Talks to Group (0:54)
- Mando Talks About the Camp Closing (1:19)
- Mustang and Gwen Talk in the Chapel (1:04)
- Ernesto and Gwen Kiss (1:22)
- Gwen Prays (1:24)
- Ken and Barb Ask Gwen and Finn to Come Back (0:29)
DIALED IN: THE CAST OF BLACK PHONE 2 (10:33) – this all-new featurette focuses on both the returning and new cast of the Sequel. The actors and crew dive into the characters and challenges of the role. Featuring interviews with actors Ethan Hawke, Demian Bichir, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Miguel Mora, Anna Lore, Arianna Rivas, Director Scott Derrickson, Producer Jason Blum, Producer Joe Hill, and Executive Producer Maggie Levin.
A STORY CARVED IN ICE (10:45) – this all-new featurette focuses on the various aspects of the production and the work and care the production team took in creating the sequel. Everything is covered in this in-depth featurette (especially for something clocking in at 11 minutes) from the development of the sequel’s story and mythos, the makeup and visual effects work, the stunts/action set pieces, hair, costuming, the use of both Digital and Super8 film, and more, using interviews and behind-the-scenes b-roll footage. Featuring Actors Demian Bichir, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Director Scott Derrickson, Co-Writer/Producer C. Robert Cargill, Producer Jason Blum, Producer Joe Hill, Executive Producer Maggie Levin, Executive Producer Adam Hendricks, Costume Designer Amy Andrews Harrell, Hair Department Head Nathan Rival, Stunt Coordinator Branko Racki, Key Stunt Rigger Marco Bianco, Special Effects on Set Daniel Vasquez, and VFX Supervisor Ivan Moran.
FROZEN IN TIME (10:12) – this all-new featurette focuses on the detailed hard work that the behind-the-scenes crew did to bring the visual world of 1982 Colorado and the frozen Summer Camp to life. Every aspect, from location scouting, set design (including the impressive lake set used for the finale of the film), and production (including working with both real-life snow and produced snow to accomplish the look of the film), is covered on this featurette using interviews and behind-the-scenes b-roll footage. Featuring interviews with Director Scott Derrickson, Co-Writer/Producer C. Robert Cargill, Producer Jason Blum, Producer Joe Hill, Executive Producer Maggie Levin, Production Designer Patti Doesta, Costume Designer Amy Andrews Harrell, Makeup Department Head Colin Penman, and VFX Supervisor Ivan Moran.
The Final Thought
Universal Home Entertainment continues to produce must-own Collector’s Editions for its current releases, filled with bonus content. Highest possible recommendations!!!