There is a certain fear that comes with hearing the words “horror sequel.” Not the fun jumpscare kind of fear, but the dread of watching something you love get butchered. Every once in a while, though, a film will come out that not only continues a great story, it honors it. “Black Phone 2” (2025) does exactly that.
I still remember sitting in the theater when the first movie came out, fully unprepared as an admittedly, easily scared person. Like covering my eyes during scary trailers level of scared, but “The Black Phone” (2021) was not just another horror movie. It had this strange, perfect balance of terror and tenderness. It was eerie and heart wrenching at the same time. The supernatural element was beautifully done. A black phone that lets our main character, Finney, communicate with the dead, pulled me in completely. It is not just a story about kidnapping. It is a story about resilience, survival, friendship, and ghosts who refused to be forgotten.
And the cast is completely stacked for both films. Ethan Hawke as the Grabber is already amazingly scary but the emotional anchors of the films are the kids, Mason Thames as Finney and Madeline McGraw as Gwen. The two of them make everything feel painfully real. By the end of the first movie, you feel both satisfied and curious. Although I still miss one of my favorite characters, Robin Arellano, who is played by Miguel Mora and was one of the best emotional pulls of the movie. The end of the movie left some questions that were impossible not to think about and the sequel did all of them justice.
So, when “Black Phone 2” finally came out, I was equally excited and nervous. Horror sequels have a reputation for missing the mark, but this one did something unexpected. It shifted the story. Instead of sticking with our main character, Finney, who was the sole survivor of the Grabber in the first movie, it focused on Gwen. And that changed everything.
Gwen was already a standout in the first movie. She was not just a side character or the little sister; she was the reason Finney survived. Her psychic dreams, fearless attitude, problem with authority, and colorful language added heart. Seeing her take the lead felt right; we were right back in that world but with a new lens. The sequel leans into her perspective perfectly, we see her power more clearly and understand it better, while also seeing her pain, especially as the trauma of the first film still lingers over her family, both through the past and present. We learn more about how Finney is coping after the events of the last movie, since there is a significant time skip.
Of course, the moment the movie’s trailers hinted at the Grabber’s return, the internet lost it. People immediately started complaining that bringing back a dead villain did not make any sense. I can’t help but laugh at criticisms like that because if that is a true concern, then they have completely missed the point of the first movie. The entire premise of “The Black Phone” was built on communication with the dead. In this universe, the dead cannot rest until they are found and avenged, and the Grabber gains power from the fear of his victims. Finney literally survived because of ghosts. So bringing the Grabber back as a supernatural force is not lazy; it is poetic. It is full circle storytelling.
This sequel dives a bit deeper into everything that made the first movie stand out. We finally got answers to the questions we wanted. The story balances fear and emotion in a way that feels heavier, sadder even, because now we are dealing with the aftermath. How do you live after horror?
While we are still getting to explore Gwen’s trauma, we see Mason Thames return as Finney in a way that is both comforting and heartbreaking. He is not that terrified boy from the basement anymore. He is older, quieter, and clearly carrying the weight of what happened to him. There are moments when he talks about the trauma and you feel it. Like we are being asked to sit with the reality that surviving something awful does not mean it disappears. Those scenes humanize him in a way that a lot of movies forget to do.
Then there is Robin. One of my favorite characters from the first movie, the one I still emotionally have not recovered from. His friendship with Finney was one of the genuine and heartwarming moments of the story, and even though he is gone, he is far from forgotten in the sequel. His name comes up multiple times, and seeing Miguel Mora return as Robin’s younger brother felt like a love letter to the fans and the story. Many people critique the actor coming back as fan service, and maybe it was, but it was the good kind. The kind that makes your eyes sting just a little.
Now, let us talk about the horror itself. This sequel definitely ups the fear factor. It is darker, bloodier, and more relentless, but never feels cheap. It never tries to scare or shock you just for the sake of it. The scares actually mean something; they are rooted in grief, memory, and guilt. And through it all, Gwen shines. Madeline McGraw’s talent is apparent through this film. She is defiant, vulnerable, angry, and brave all at once. Watching her relentlessly work to unravel the truth about her family while facing something evil again is nothing short of captivating.
So yes, horror completely terrifies me, and sequels make me a bit nervous, but “Black Phone 2” showed everyone that a sequel can make an amazing continuation. That is what makes this sequel so impressive. It did not need to outdo the first movie; it just needed to expand it. It is emotional, it is unsettling and it is beautifully done. The Grabber’s ghost may have come back, but so did everything I loved about the original.
This is what happens when a sequel is done correctly. It haunts you, just like the first time, but this time you understand the ghosts a little better.
