The Grabber's Calling Back: Black Phone 2 Dials Up Box Office Gold Amid October Chills
Hey Tumblr tumblrinos (especially you Aussie night owls chasing that perfect scare), if you've been doom-scrolling through this year's horror slate wondering where the hits went, wonder no more. The Black Phone 2 just crashed the party like a wrong number from the grave—raking in over $80 million globally in its first 10 days since the October 17 US release. That's right: $49M domestic, $31M international, and it's still climbing as we hit Halloween week. For context, it outdid the original 2021 flick's $23.6M opening weekend debut, landing at No.1 and giving Blumhouse a much-needed reboot after duds like Wolf Man and M3GAN 2.0.
Directed by Scott Derrickson (who co-wrote with C. Robert Cargill), this supernatural slasher sequel brings back Ethan Hawke as the iconic, against-type Grabber—that masked, whispery serial killer who haunts your nightmares with his grabby van and carnival creepiness. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw return as the sibling duo facing off against more ghostly phone calls from beyond, with fresh twists that amp the tension without losing the original's intimate, kid-centric dread. It's got that 70s/80s throwback vibe—think faded Polaroids, rotary dials, and suburban shadows—but updated with sharper effects and a runtime that clocks in tight at 103 minutes. Rotten Tomatoes sits at 74% fresh (down a tick from the first's 81%, but hey, sequels gonna sequel), and audience scores are buzzing with B+ CinemaScore love for the jump scares and emotional gut-punches.
From an Oz journo's lens, this one's tailor-made for our cinema scene: hitting screens Down Under right as the weather turns spooky, it's a reminder that horror doesn't need billion-dollar CGI to grip you—sometimes it's just a kid, a basement, and a phone that shouldn't ring. In a year where October's box office is down 11% on 2024 (blame the post-strike hangover or whatever), Black Phone 2 proves the genre's still the reliable fright train, joining heavy-hitters like Sinners and Weapons in the 2025 No.1 club. If you're in Sydney, Melbourne, or Brissy, snag tickets before the line goes dead—it's the kind of film that lingers like a bad dream.
What's your take? First film fan diving in, or holding out for the inevitable trilogy? Spill in the reblogs—let's chat Grabber lore.