The Black Phone

Thirteen-year-old Finney Blake is a quiet, resourceful kid who wakes up trapped in a soundproof basement after a violent abduction. With shouts muffled and adults searching outside, Finney has almost no tools to fight back. A disconnected black phone on the wall starts ringing, and when he answers he hears the voices of the killer's earlier victims. Those voices offer guidance, warnings, and strange companionship as Finney tries to outsmart his captor and hold on to hope while the stakes keep rising and time runs out.

Directed by Scott Derrickson, the film adapts Joe Hill's short story, with C. Robert Cargill among the writers, and it arrived in 2022 to genre audiences eager for a modern horror thriller.

The movie performed well commercially, turning a modest production budget into solid box office returns and becoming one of the more profitable horror releases of its season.

Ethan Hawke's portrayal of the antagonist grabbed a lot of attention, and the image of the disconnected ringing phone became a recurring motif in promotional material and social conversations. The film's stylized villain design and tense set pieces helped it stand out during Halloween season viewing, and clips and stills circulated widely on social platforms.

Critics generally responded positively to the film's blend of psychological dread and supernatural touches, highlighting strong lead performances from Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw. Reviewers noted the movie balances straightforward scares with quieter emotional beats, exploring how fear, memory, and sibling bonds shape a young person's resolve. While it leans into familiar horror conventions, the movie keeps a steady focus on character, which helped it connect with both genre fans and viewers looking for emotional stakes amid the suspense.