10 Upcoming Horror Movies That Will Scare The S**t Out Of You

3. The Black Phone

The Hatching
Universal Pictures

Director: Scott Derrickson

Starring: Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, James Ransone

Release Date: 24 June 2022

Based on a 2004 short story from horror literary icon Joe Hill, The Black Phone takes viewers back to 1978. Finney becomes the sixth victim of a child serial killer dubbed The Grabber. After being knocked unconscious and transported in a van, Finney finds himself trapped in a soundproof basement with a disconnected phone. Yet, the phone, though useless at first glance, may prove to be the difference between life and death, as Finney receives calls from The Grabber's previous victims as guide him away from a similar fate.

The Black Phone had its world premier at Fantastic Fest (Austin, Texas) on 25th September 2021. Reviewers' praised Scott Derrickson for his direction, both in expressing his own vision while remaining faithful to the source material.

The Grabber has everything needed to become a horror icon. He is not only a killer aesthetic having Ethan Hawke's masterful portrayal behind the character. From even the trailer alone, Hawke's eerie depiction is stark.

Minor criticisms were raised around the film's pacing and whether it churned out enough scares for horror audiences.

Contributor

An English Lit. MA Grad trying to validate my student debt by writing literary fiction and alternative non-fiction.