‘The Black Phone 2’ Scares Up Solid Reviews as Rotten Tomatoes Score Is Revealed

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Ahead of its release in the U.S., ‘The Black Phone 2‘ is gaining attention, currently holding an 80% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes after 25 reviews.

The upcoming 2025 horror sequel, directed by Scott Derrickson and co-written with C. Robert Cargill, picks up where the 2021 film left off. That original movie was itself based on a 2004 short story by Joe Hill.

The cast includes returning actors Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Jeremy Davies, along with newcomers Demián Bichir and Arianna Rivas. The movie will be released by Universal Pictures on October 17th, after debuting at Fantastic Fest on September 20th.

What do you think happens when you die? Black Phone 2 only in theaters October 17.

— Black Phone 2 (@UniversalHorror) September 4, 2025

As a fan, I’ve been reading all the reviews, and it sounds like everyone really loved how the director brought a new energy to the movie! People are saying the actors were fantastic, and they did a great job with the new settings. What’s really exciting is that the sequel isn’t just more of the same – it’s actually scarier and digs deeper into the story’s world, but still feels connected to the original, which is exactly what I was hoping for.

The sequel to Black Phone takes the characters – both the heroes and the villain – in surprising new directions. While the film features several strong scenes and acting performances, a few questionable decisions ultimately detract from its overall quality.

Jeff Ewing

Okay, so as a big fan of the first *Black Phone*, I was really happy with the sequel. It definitely feels connected to the original, but it doesn’t just rehash things – it really finds its own identity. What I think director Derrickson and the team did brilliantly was change up the setting, team up Gwen and Finney in a meaningful way, and give the Grabber a really compelling evolution. It wasn’t just more of the same, and that’s what made it work so well for me.

Perri Nemiroff

The Black Phone 2 delivers plenty of scares and expands on the story, but it doesn’t quite live up to the original film.

Molly Henery

Despite being visually stunning, the sequel received some criticism. Reviewers felt the story wasn’t always consistent, and some of the themes felt unnatural or unconvincing. Additionally, the film’s tone and style didn’t always match the first movie, making the two feel disconnected as part of a series.

Look, I’m a big horror fan, and while Scott Derrickson’s *The Black Phone 2* isn’t *bad* – there have been way worse sequels this year – it just doesn’t hit the same way the first movie did. Honestly, it feels like it’s missing a lot of what made the original so great.

James Preston Poole

While the film has some good qualities, they’re weakened by its constant effort to portray Christianity as trendy and exciting. This makes certain scenes feel disconnected and unbelievable.

Lex Briscuso

While *Black Phone 2* boasts impressive visuals and special effects, the movie feels surprisingly immature. It doesn’t fit within the same genre as the first *Black Phone*, and the two films don’t really feel like they belong together as part of a series.

Caitlin Kennedy

‘The Black Phone 2’ is a generally effective horror film with some genuinely scary scenes, though it’s not quite as good as the first movie.

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2025-10-08 15:15