Blumhouse is banking on a comeback for Black Phone 2 to reverse a recent box-office slide. The horror specialist has endured a rough spell across 2024–25, making the new sequel a potential turning point for the studio.
Early forecasts place the film’s domestic debut in the low-to-mid 20s of millions, roughly $20–$28 million. If true, it would stand as Blumhouse’s strongest opening this year and the best launch since Five Nights at Freddy’s produced about $80 million in 2023. The original Black Phone opened to $23.6 million and climbed to $161.4 million worldwide on an $18 million budget, underscoring the franchise’s profitability when it lands with momentum.
The new story follows Finn (Mason Thames), now 17, grappling with life after his captivity by The Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) begins hearing calls from the Black Phone in her dreams, pushing them toward Alpine Lake during a brutal storm where danger still awaits from beyond the veil.
Blumhouse has faced a turbulent stretch at the box office of late. 2024–25 yielded a string of misses, including titles like Wolf Man, The Woman in the Yard, and Drop. M3GAN 2.0 fared the worst, pulling in around $39 million globally on a $25 million budget, a setback that puts extra pressure on Black Phone 2 to improve the pace for the studio.
Director Scott Derrickson has delivered for Blumhouse before, notably Sinister, which rode a tiny budget to nearly $90 million worldwide. He reunites with writer-producer C. Robert Cargill on an original continuation that expands on Joe Hill’s source material.
Early critics have responded positively, with one review calling Black Phone 2 a “fantastic sequel” that broadens the experience of the first film. Positioned as a marquee Halloween-season horror option, it could help end Blumhouse’s recent box-office drought.
Black Phone 2 opens in theaters on October 17, 2025.
Source: Original article
