The Black Phone 2 production has begun, as director shares first cryptic behind the scenes look at the horror sequel

Cameras are rolling on The Black Phone 2, as director Scott Derrickson shares a cryptic behind the scenes look at the horror sequel. 

The first look, which you can see below, is rather mysterious – it’s just a on-set glimpse at a chair labeled with The Black Phone 2. “Shooting started today,” Derrickson captioned the picture. 

The Black Phone 2 will see Ethan Hawke return as the Grabber, an evil serial killer who targets children. In the first movie, based on Joe Hill’s short story of the same name, Mason Thames played Finney, a teenage boy who was abducted by the Grabber. A phone in the Grabber’s basement allowed Finney to contact the Grabber’s past victims, and Finney ultimately emerged victorious, escaping the killer’s lair. 

In the sequel, Hawke and Thames will both return, along with Madeleine McGraw (Gwen), Miguel Mora (Robin), and Jeremy Davies (Terrence). Demián Bichir has also joined the line-up, with Derrickson returning to direct a script penned by him and C. Robert Cargill. 

Not much is known about The Black Phone 2 just yet, but one major question about the sequel revolves around the return of Hawke’s Grabber. In the first film, it appeared Finney killed him with the phone cord – a fitting, poetic death for the murderer, after all. But, with Hawke returning, it’s unclear whether the Grabber survived or if he’ll be back in some other way. 

The Black Phone 2 is arriving on October 17, 2025. In the meantime, check out our guide to the best horror movies to watch for a fright.