🎬 The Black Phone (2022)
Part of The Black Phone
The Black Phone is a 2021 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson, based on the 2004 short story of the same name by Joe Hill. The story originally appeared in Hill's acclaimed debut collection "20th Century Ghosts," which was first published in a limited edition in the United Kingdom before receiving a wider American release in 2007. Derrickson and his frequent collaborator C. Robert Cargill adapted the short story into a feature-length screenplay, expanding the narrative while preserving its chilling core premise.
The film stars Mason Thames as Finney Shaw, a shy but resourceful thirteen-year-old boy who is kidnapped by a sadistic serial child murderer known only as the Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke in a memorably unsettling performance. Imprisoned in a soundproofed basement, Finney discovers a disconnected black rotary phone that mysteriously rings, allowing him to communicate with the spirits of the Grabber's previous victims. These ghostly children provide him with crucial advice and encouragement, helping him devise a plan to escape. Madeleine McGraw co-stars as Finney's sister Gwen, whose own psychic visions add another layer of supernatural intrigue to the story.
Derrickson and Cargill made several notable changes in adapting Hill's short story for the screen. The character of Gwen was significantly expanded, giving the film a parallel narrative thread that deepens the emotional stakes. The setting was shifted to a late-1970s Denver suburb, evoking a nostalgic yet menacing atmosphere that recalls the era's fascination with serial killers and missing children. The film also fleshes out the Grabber's psychology and the backstories of his victims, transforming a tightly focused short story into a more expansive cinematic experience. The adaptation was a passion project for Derrickson, who stepped away from directing Marvel's "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" over creative differences and returned to his horror roots with this film.
Released by Universal Pictures in association with Blumhouse Productions, The Black Phone was both a critical and commercial success, praised for its performances, atmospheric direction, and emotional depth. It became the first installment in what is now known as the Black Phone franchise, with a sequel announced following the film's strong box office performance. The movie's success also prompted the republication of Joe Hill's short story collection under the title "The Black Phone" in 2021, capitalizing on renewed interest in the source material and introducing a new generation of readers to Hill's haunting tale.
"The Black Phone" is a short horror story written by American author Joe Hill. It was first published in 2004 in the United Kingdom as part of the limited-edition anthology "20th Century Ghosts," released by PS Publishing. The collection marked Hill's debut book-length publication and later received a wider release in the United States in 2007 through HarperCollins.
The story centers on a young boy named Finney who is abducted by a serial killer known as the Grabber. Trapped in a soundproofed basement, Finney discovers a disconnected black rotary telephone mounted on the wall. Though the phone appears to be non-functional, it begins to ring, and Finney hears the voices of the Grabber's previous victims on the other end. These ghostly voices offer him guidance and clues on how to escape his captor before he becomes the next victim.
"The Black Phone" is notable for its blend of supernatural horror and psychological terror, exploring themes of isolation, resilience, and the thin boundary between the living and the dead. The story received critical acclaim and contributed to the collection winning the Bram Stoker Award for Best Fiction Collection and the British Fantasy Award for Best Collection. Its taut, claustrophobic narrative and emotionally resonant premise have made it one of Hill's most celebrated short works, eventually inspiring a successful film adaptation and establishing a franchise.
The Black Phone is a supernatural horror duology adapted from Joe Hill's short story of the same name. The series centers on a masked serial child abductor known as the Grabber and a disconnected black rotary phone that allows the spirits of his previous victims to communicate with his latest captive, offering guidance and clues for escape. Blending psychological terror with supernatural mystery, the films explore themes of childhood resilience, trauma, and the thin veil between the living and the dead. The screen adaptations were written by Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, who previously collaborated on the horror film Sinister, and are produced by Blumhouse Productions, known for its model of modestly budgeted, high-concept horror.
The first entry, released in 2022, was praised for its atmospheric tension, strong performances from its young cast, and Ethan Hawke's unsettling portrayal of the antagonist. It grounds its supernatural premise in a period setting that evokes a sense of nostalgic dread, tapping into classic horror traditions of isolated settings, imperiled children, and vengeful spirits. The black phone itself serves as a powerful symbol of connection and hope amid despair, transforming a mundane object into a conduit for the supernatural.
A sequel, Black Phone 2, is scheduled for release in 2025, continuing the story and expanding the series' exploration of its central themes. As a duology, the collection maintains a focused narrative while building on the foundation of its source material and the creative team's signature blend of character-driven horror.
