The Black Phonewas one ofthe best movies of 2022and one of the best horror films of the decade so far, but it was almost completely self-contained. Things seemed wrapped up in a truly satisfactory way by the end of the movie, and the villain (played to perfection by Ethan Hawke) seemed completely dead. The film’s acclaimed director, Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, Sinister, The Exorcism of Emily Rose), put his heart and soul intoThe Black Phone, which was a very personal and cathartic experience for him. He didn’t have a sequel in mind whatsoever. And yet,The Black Phone 2finished filming at the end of January. What happened?
Well, part of it has to do with Derrickson’s new film,The Gorge, which debuts Feb. 14 on Apple TV+. The Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy movie is a genre-blending concoction that works as both a wild horror movie and a sweet romance that represents dating in modern times. Derrickson spoke with MovieWeb about both films and had this to say about his journey fromThe Black PhonethroughThe Gorgeand ultimately toThe Black Phone 2:
“It was extremely cathartic making [The Black Phone], and it really felt like it was bringing closure to some years of work I had done in therapy, really just reckoning with my own childhood. I think that finishing that movie sort of marked the end of that internal journey that I had been taking, to reckon with and face up to what I had experienced as a child, in terms of violence specifically. And then, you know, what got me excited about doing the sequel was that — at first I had no interest in doing it. Joe Hill gave me an idea, and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s a good idea. I could build something out of that.'”
“That got me considering it,” added Derrickson. “But then, when I realized that if I did make a big movie first, which I did inThe Gorge, then those kids would be in high school. The idea of making a sequel that’s a high school horror movie, in the same way that the first one was a middle school horror movie, that was exciting, because I’ve never made a real high school horror movie.”
Scott Derrickson Says David Lynch Inspired His The Black Phone-Adjacent V/H/S/85 Segment
Scott Derrickson took a cue from one of David Lynch’s most popular films for his V/H/S/85 entry.
The Difference Between Middle School Horror in ‘The Black Phone’ & High School Horror in the Sequel
So what is a “high school horror movie,” and how is it any different from a “middle school horror movie?” For Derrickson, it seems to come down to intensity and violence. Based on the ages of the characters, films likePoltergeist,Coraline, andIt: Chapter Onefit with middle school horror. High school horror, at least for Derrickson, seems to be a bit gnarlier:
“It would allow me, almost demand me to be more aggressive, get into more specific kinds of violence. And to return to these characters and see who they have become as a result of their experiences in the first movie was also really interesting to me. I love the characters. I also love all the actors, and as we went to work on the script, I [thought] it’s a great idea and that it really works. We finished shooting it last week, and I can’t wait to finish the film and put it out in the world.”
The Black Phone Review: Coming-of-Age Gets Scary in a Great, Violent Thriller
While it may not please those seeking a straight-up horror movie, The Black Phone is a dark, effective, and thrilling look at childhood and violence.
Ethan Hawke is set to appear in the film once again, despite his horrifying character, The Grabber, being killed in the first film. Will he return as a ghostly presence, the same way that Mason Thames’ main character experienced corporeal visits in the first film? Derrickson was honest and direct:
I’ve given you all the information on The Black Phone 2 that you’re going to get.
That’s fair — but we can’t wait to discuss it once it’s out in the world. In the meantime, The Gorge comes to Apple TV+ on Aug 08, 2025. You can watch it through the link below:
