Okay, buckle up, because “Black Phone 2″ is a must watch for true crime and horror movie enthusiasts. 

With the success of the first movie, the sequel needed to be equally as intriguing. 

Teased back in May, fans of the film have been waiting months to enjoy their fixation from the first film four years prior, with Scott Derrickson as director it was poised to be a great film, coming off the heels of not only the original “The Black Phone” but other horror films like “Sinister,” “The Exorcism of Emily Rose” and “Deliver us From the Devil.” 

It did not disappoint. The sequel picks up a few years after the original, with Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) now a teenager, still grappling with her psychic abilities, more specifically oneiromancy or in other words the ability to communicate and see visions of spirits through her dreams. 

The phone — thought to be silent — rings again, pulling her and Finney (Mason Thames) into a new much more horrible reality, even more so by a copycat killer. 

With a more dominant supernatural undertone, rather than the true crime kidnapper feel of the first one, it gives itself a much more sinister background. 

Derrickson masterfully blends the supernatural elements with a sense of dread that allows a suspense so thrilling you have no idea how to prepare for the next scene. 

“Black Phone 2″ is an exploration of trauma and resilience, with two young kids figuring out how to survive, adapt and deal with their past while simultaneously figuring out a way to combat this new form of the Grabber that sparked their original trauma. 

The young cast deliver powerful performances, not uncommon from young actor Mason Thames, who is on the rise from other roles such as his portrayal of Hiccup in 2025’s “How To Train a Dragon.”

Last but not least the amazing performance by Madeleine McGraw, brought the whole picture together. 

Ethane Hawke, returning as the Grabber, is disturbingly captivating. Now as a dead man, the grabber is able to call Finney through the same phone that saved his life in the previous film. 

This dynamic of a more corporeal form of the Grabber gives a kind of throwback to horror movies like “Nightmare on Elm Street,” which is highlighted by the effects he is able to have in manipulating Gwen’s psychic abilities. 

While also giving it a new classic horror movie vibe, it makes for a much more dangerous and sinister version of the Grabber. 

While the film shifts from a less realistic horror film it shares not only the same feel but the same plot and characters that made the first so famous and captivating. 

“Black Phone 2” released Oct. 17 and is in theaters now.