Will there be a Black Phone 3? Ethan Hawke and author Joe Hill have already pitched ideas

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The new horror film, Black Phone 2, did very well in theaters this weekend. Writer Joe Hill and actor Ethan Hawke have already started discussing ideas for a possible follow-up movie.

The first Black Phone film featured a frightening performance by Ethan Hawke as ‘The Grabber’ and was a major success, earning over $160 million around the world.

The second film premiered at Fantastic Fest, and in our review of *The Black Phone 2*, we noted that it builds on the strengths of the original while also exploring new and surprising territory.

The horror film Black Phone 2 was released this weekend and earned $42 million worldwide, leading to discussions about a possible third movie in the series.

Joe Hill says Black Phone 3 should have “dual stars”

Joe Hill, the author of the story that started it all, not only wrote the original tale but also conceived the idea for *Black Phone 2*, which was then developed with co-writer C. Robert Cargill and director Scott Derrickson. He’s even begun brainstorming ideas for a potential third installment.

Joe Hill explains to Variety that while ‘The Black Phone’ originally focused on Finney and his sister trying to rescue each other, the new story flips that dynamic. This time, Gwen is the central character, and her brother is the one trying to save her.

I think if they make a third movie, it would make sense for the two main characters to be equals, each trying to rescue the other. Whether that’s possible remains to be seen, but it’s an idea worth exploring.

The success of *The Black Phone 2* will largely depend on how long it remains popular in theaters. Before the film came out, director Scott Derrickson noted that initial preview numbers were promising, and he’s waiting to see if audiences want a sequel.

I’m optimistic about how well the movie will do in theaters. Ultimately, it depends on the audience – if enough people want a third Black Phone movie, they’ll show it by going to see the second one when it comes out.

Ethan Hawke wants to follow the Grabber to hell

Ethan Hawke has suggested a potential third installment of *The Black Phone*, telling Entertainment Weekly he’s eager to explore the story further. He feels that genre films naturally build on what audiences already expect, and he’d personally like to revisit his character and delve deeper into the dark world of the film, even if it means ‘going to hell with the Grabber’ again.

I’m really interested in exploring his character. Ideally, the next installment would focus on his backstory – what shaped him into the person he is today and why he’s now affecting other people’s dreams.

The writer and director emphasize the importance of a solid central concept. Scott Derrickson explained to Polygon that he recognizes studios’ desire to build film franchises, and as a horror fan, he respects those franchises.

As a director, I focus on each film individually, approaching every project as if it could be my last. That means I need to feel fully satisfied with the work. We haven’t discussed a third ‘Black Phone’ movie, and I don’t anticipate that changing.

Look, as a huge fan, I was really hoping to hear that a reunion was possible, and it sounds like the cast and creators definitely *want* to revisit those characters. They’ve thought about it, for sure! But they’re not going to just do it for the sake of it. They need a really compelling story – something worth dedicating a whole year of their lives to, and honestly, I totally get that. It has to be *good*.

Making a movie takes about a year of your life, so we really need a fantastic and inspiring story to commit to making a sequel.

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2025-10-20 12:50