You don’t want to end up using The Black Phone–but it might be the only way to escape the clutches of masked child killer Ethan Hawke, in Scott Derrickson’s upcoming horror film.
Based on a short story by Stephen King’s son Joe Hill, this haunting serial killer thriller seems a bit similiar to dad’s It series, with victims from the murderer’s past appearing to help his latest kidnapped kid. The Black Phone rings into Australian cinemas on June 30.
Hawke already turned in a good villain performance this year in Moon Knight. His bad guy in The Black Phone seems even more disturbed, switching his pale mask to represent a happy or sad face: covering his mouth or his dark eyes as he pleases.
“I was really starting to like you, Finny”, The Grabber tells the boy (Mason Thames) in his basement, after learning via newspaper that the authorities are already on the lookout. “I almost let you go.”
That’s just about the most gut-wrenching thing you could possibly hear in this situation, but at least the ghosts of Hawke’s past victims can use the disconnected phone on the cell wall to impart spooky pearls of wisdom, urging Finn to do what they never could: escape.
His only chance of rescue from the outside might be his pigtailed younger sister (Madeleine McGraw), who has confronting dreams of where her brother is trapped. With its 70s-set production design and tragic backstory of slain young people, the whole thing is very reminiscent of director Derrickson’s last horror success story Sinister.
Derrickson was signed on to direct the upcoming Marvel entry Doctor Strange In The Multiverse of Madness, but quit due to creative differences and his desire to shoot The Black Phone first. He’s been replaced by another dependable horror maestro Sam Raimi so Marvel viewers should get a few jumps and screams in their comic book movie anyways.
