Filmmaker Scott Derrickson has made it clear that a third installment in the Black Phone series hinges on a significant condition: it must surpass its predecessors. Derrickson, who recently returned with Black Phone 2, emphasizes that he sees “no justification” for the sequel unless it can genuinely be a better film than the first.
In an interview with Variety, Derrickson expressed his views on the challenge of sequels. He stated, “There’s really no justification for making a sequel unless you are genuinely attempting to make a movie that’s better than the first movie you’re making a sequel to.” He further noted that if a third film is to be made, it must improve upon the second installment, which itself is already better than the original. Derrickson remarked that very few trilogies manage this feat.
He pointed to the Evil Dead and Night of the Living Dead trilogies as notable exceptions, stating, “I think Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead trilogy and George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead trilogy are probably the only two trilogies of movies where they’re all three great movies and get progressively better.”
The second film in the franchise introduces a new supernatural twist, with Ethan Hawke‘s character, The Grabber, becoming a menacing figure from beyond the grave. Despite this shift, Derrickson is committed to maintaining the integrity of the character’s lore. He remarked, “What would be important to me in considering any ideas is that it’s just not a retread, and that we don’t feel like we’re seeing, ‘Oh, now we establish this new rule for the Grabber. So let’s just do that again.’”
Derrickson acknowledged that he made a “very conscious” decision to change the tone for the sequel. He found it compelling to wait until the main characters, Finney (played by Mason Thames) and Gwen (played by Madeleine McGraw), had advanced to high school. He explained, “A high school horror movie demands more violence and more scariness than a middle school supernatural thriller, which is really what The Black Phone is.”
The setting plays a crucial role in the sequel’s development. Derrickson noted that the film is set in 1982, a period known for its summer camp slasher movies, many of which he watched during that era. He aimed to incorporate elements from those films while setting the story in winter camps in the Rocky Mountains. “That’s not something I had seen before,” he added, underscoring his desire to bring something fresh to the horror genre.
As Derrickson navigates the creative landscape for potential future films in the franchise, he remains focused on delivering a narrative that resonates deeply with audiences while pushing the boundaries of what a horror sequel can achieve. With such high standards, fans may have to wait a while for the next chapter in the Black Phone saga.
