Blumhouse and Universal Pictures released the first trailer Monday for “The Black Phone 2,” confirming Scott Derrickson’s sequel will reach theaters on Oct. 17, 2025. Ethan Hawke’s Grabber re-emerges in snow-swept footage, drawling, “Did you think our story was over?” as survivor Finney Blake stops at a ringing pay phone.

Derrickson again writes with longtime partner C. Robert Cargill and produces alongside Jason Blum. Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Jeremy Davies reprise their roles, while Oscar nominee Demián Bichir and Arianna Rivas join the cast linked to Alpine Lake, a winter camp that becomes the new hunting ground. The synopsis points to Gwen Blake’s psychic visions drawing her brother back into danger as the Grabber’s influence expands beyond the grave.

In an exclusive Collider chat, Derrickson said the follow-up “is more violent, it’s bloodier,” signalling a step up from the basement terrors that propelled the original. He told Bloody Disgusting that author Joe Hill’s pitch to shift the characters into high school created a fresh coming-of-age spine that interested him after the first film’s middle-school focus.

Exhibitors at April’s CinemaCon saw early clips featuring an ice-skating apparition and dream-logic attacks that reporters compared to Freddy Krueger’s hauntings, suggesting a supernatural slasher angle for the franchise. Screen Rant noted the footage retained the sibling bond that distinguished the 2022 breakout while broadening the scale of its nightmares.

Universal initially targeted June 2025 but moved the picture to October to make use of the genre-friendly Halloween corridor and balance a slate that also houses “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2.” The first “Black Phone” earned $161 million worldwide on a sub-$20 million budget, a margin analysts now expect the sequel to approach thanks to Hawke’s return and the PG-13 predecessor’s crossover appeal. Filming wrapped in Toronto in January, and industry watchers anticipate a 45-day theatrical window before the title rings on Peacock later next year.

Tags: Black Phone 2 Scott Derrickson Universal Pictures