Black Phone 3: Ethan Hawke's Sinister Dream for The Grabber's Return

While Black Phone 2 is scaring up audiences in theaters this Halloween season, star Ethan Hawke is already sharing his chilling vision for a third film, but director Scott Derrickson has some very specific conditions before answering that call.

TL;DR: Quick Scares on Black Phone 3 Possibilities

• Ethan Hawke, the terrifying Grabber, is totally game for a third Black Phone movie and dreams of it being a deep character dive into what made his villain tick, haunting dreams from beyond the grave.
• Director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill are open to continuing the story but are holding out for a truly "great and inspiring" idea, stressing they won't make a sequel just for the sake of it becoming a "corporate money grab."
• Black Phone 2 is performing respectably at the box office, grabbing $2.6 million in Thursday previews and currently tracking for a solid opening weekend around $24 million worldwide.

The Persistent Ringing: A Call for More Black Phone Horror

Alright, horror fanatics, Black Phone 2 just dropped in theaters on October 17, 2025, and it’s already pulling in audiences with its supernatural scares. After a solid $2.6 million from Thursday night previews, the sequel is looking to rake in an estimated $23-29 million in its opening weekend, with current reports placing it around $24 million globally. That's a pretty good start, especially considering its $30 million production budget.

As the film continues to haunt the big screen, the inevitable question echoes through the dark corridors of the internet: will there be a Black Phone 3? While the creative team is playing it cool, one of the franchise's biggest stars is already dialing up a terrifyingly cool idea for a third installment.

Ethan Hawke Dials Up a Dark and Deep Vision for The Grabber’s Return

Yep, we're talking about none other than Ethan Hawke, the brilliant actor behind the chilling villain, The Grabber. Hawke is notoriously picky about sequels, often avoiding them because, in his words, "so often they turn into corporate money grabs." But something about the Black Phone universe has him hooked, and he's not just open to a third film – he's got a vivid, character-driven vision for it.

Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Hawke confessed his desire to take The Grabber to even darker places. He imagines a third film that delves into the villain’s origins, exploring what truly shaped him into the child abductor and murderer we know. And since The Grabber is now, well, dead, Hawke envisions him haunting other people's dreams, a concept that immediately brings to mind classic supernatural horror icons.

"I would like to go to hell with the Grabber. That’s what I’d like to do. I’d like to get to know him. That would be my dream for the third one, to let it be a character piece about what made him, who he is now, and how he’s haunting other people’s dreams."

— Ethan Hawke, The Grabber himself

Hawke’s enthusiasm isn't just about playing a fun villain; it stems from his genuine admiration for director Scott Derrickson's approach to Black Phone 2. He praised the sequel for being "innovative and creative," asserting that Derrickson "flexed his muscles" and truly pushed the boundaries. He even compared Black Phone 2 to Road Warrior as a sequel to Mad Max, noting that it's "more complicated, bigger budget, but it's spiritually evolving" and "surpasses the first film." High praise indeed!

Director Scott Derrickson Sets a High Creative Bar for a Black Phone Trilogy

While Hawke is ready to dive into the Grabber's psyche, the masterminds behind the camera, director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill, are taking a more measured approach. Despite some external reports hinting that Black Phone 3 is already "happening" with specific filming locations like Mississauga, Ontario, Derrickson and Cargill have made it clear they haven't had any official discussions about a threequel yet.

Their philosophy is refreshingly grounded: "I have to go one film at a time, and any film that I work on, I have to feel like this might be the last one I get to do. So it had to be complete," Derrickson told Polygon at Fantastic Fest 2025. Cargill echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that they need a "good enough idea to justify us putting a year of our life into making that." They're not interested in simply cashing in on a franchise.

This commitment to quality isn't new. Derrickson recalled how, right after the first Black Phone exploded with $161.4 million worldwide on a modest budget, NBCUniversal chairman Jeff Shell emailed him asking if a sequel was on the cards. Derrickson's honest reply? "I have no idea." The spark for Black Phone 2 only ignited when author Joe Hill, who penned the original short story, pitched a truly compelling idea: "A phone rings, Finny answers, and it's The Grabber calling from Hell." That "dumb idea" as Cargill called it, was precisely what they needed to justify revisiting the world.

Derrickson also shared his high standards for trilogies, pointing out that in his opinion, there are only two "truly great" horror trilogies: Sam Raimi's Evil Dead series and George A. Romero's original Night of the Living Dead trilogy. For him, a third Black Phone film would need to not just be good, but potentially even surpass its predecessors to be worthy of that legacy. That's a serious commitment to crafting quality horror, and it's why fans can trust that if Black Phone 3 ever gets made, it'll be for a damn good reason.

Black Phone 2: Everything You Need to Know About the Current Haunting

So, before we get too ahead of ourselves dreaming of a third movie, let's talk about the nightmare that's currently unfolding on screen. Black Phone 2 picks up four years after Finney Blake (Mason Thames) managed to escape The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Now 17, Finn is grappling with the trauma of his captivity, while his younger, psychic sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), now 15, takes center stage.

Gwen starts receiving calls in her dreams from the mysterious black phone, along with disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp called Alpine Lake. Determined to end the torment for herself and her brother, she persuades Finn to visit the camp during a blizzard. Here, they uncover a chilling link between The Grabber and their own family's history, forcing them to confront a killer who has become even more powerful in death. The film's synopsis promises a confrontation with a killer "more significant to them than either could imagine."

The Talented Ensemble Bringing Terror to Life

The sequel brings back our core cast, ensuring that continuity and emotional depth remain at the forefront. Here's a quick look at who's who:

• Mason Thames as Finney Blake, the traumatized survivor now facing new nightmares.
• Madeleine McGraw as Gwen Blake, Finney's determined and psychic younger sister.
• Ethan Hawke as The Grabber, returning in a terrifying supernatural form.
• Jeremy Davies as Terrence Blake, Finney and Gwen's father, still struggling with his own demons.
• Demián Bichir as Armando Reyes, the supervisor of Alpine Lake Camp.
• Miguel Mora as Ernesto Arellano, the brother of Robin Arellano, one of The Grabber's earlier victims.
• Arianna Rivas as Mustang, Armando's niece.
• Anna Lore as Hope Blake, Finney and Gwen's late mother, whose past ties into the new mystery.

Critical Reception and Box Office Performance So Far

Critically, Black Phone 2 has been met with generally positive reviews, holding a 74% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 129 critics. The consensus praises it for "taking the consequences of its predecessor seriously" and mining "memorable scares and thought-provoking themes from the scars that linger." On Metacritic, it scored 59 out of 100 based on 31 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews. Audiences, via CinemaScore, gave it a "B," a slight dip from the first film's "B+," but still a solid indicator of audience satisfaction for a horror sequel.

The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 20, 2025, before its wider theatrical release. With a $30 million budget, its initial box office performance of $2.6 million in previews and an opening weekend around $24 million worldwide shows it's connecting with horror fans, paving the way for potential future discussions if the creative spark ignites again.

Will We Answer the Call for Black Phone 3, or Let It Go to Voicemail?

So, where does this leave us for Black Phone 3? It’s complicated, but exciting. Ethan Hawke's passion for exploring The Grabber's backstory is a fantastic starting point. The financial success of Black Phone 2 certainly makes a threequel commercially viable for Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions. However, the ultimate decision rests with Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill.

They’ve set a high bar, refusing to churn out a sequel just for the sake of it. They need that electrifying, original idea, much like Joe Hill's "Grabber calling from hell" pitch that launched Black Phone 2. If such an idea emerges – whether from Hill, themselves, or elsewhere – and it promises to elevate the franchise into the rarefied air of "truly great" horror trilogies, then we just might see Finney, Gwen, and The Grabber back for another chilling chapter. Until then, fans can enjoy the supernatural thrills of Black Phone 2, knowing that the creative team prioritizes quality over quantity. Keep those phones close, just in case The Grabber tries to dial you up from the other side.

Frequently Asked Questions About The Black Phone Universe

• Is Black Phone 3 officially happening?

  Not yet, according to director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill. While star Ethan Hawke has a strong idea for a third film, the creative team has stated they haven't had any official conversations about it and need a truly compelling story idea to commit to a sequel.

• Where can I watch Black Phone 2?

  Black Phone 2 was released in theaters on October 17, 2025, and is currently playing on the big screen. Digital and streaming release dates have not yet been announced.

• What is the runtime of Black Phone 2?

  Black Phone 2 has a runtime of 114 minutes (approximately 1 hour and 54 minutes).

• What is Black Phone 2 rated?

  The rating for Black Phone 2 is not explicitly mentioned in the provided context, but given the first film's R-rating for violence, bloody content, and language, it's safe to assume the sequel maintains a similar rating due to its supernatural horror themes and intense plot.

Sources

• Kevin Fraser. "Ethan Hawke is down for Black Phone 3: 'I would like to go to hell with the Grabber'." Posted 1 day ago.
• Brandon Schreur. "Black Phone 3: Ethan Hawke Pitches Bonkers Sequel Idea." October 17, 2025.
• Santanu Roy. "Black Phone 3: Scott Derrickson Reveals What It Would Take for Black Phone 2 Sequel." October 18, 2025.
• Shubhabrata Dutta. "'The Black Phone 3' Reportedly in the Works; to be Filmed in Mississauga." October 16, 2025.
• Wikipedia. "Black Phone 2." (Accessed October 19, 2025, reflects release dates and box office up to Oct 18, 2025).
• Various news snippets regarding "Black Phone 2 dials in $2.6M in previews" and reviews.