Black Phone 2’ Scares Up $42M Global Box Office, Delivers Big Win for Blumhouse

October 20, 2025

LOS ANGELES — Universal and Blumhouse’s horror sequel Black Phone 2 dialed into audience fears — and box office success — with an impressive $42 million global opening, including $26.5 million in North America. The strong debut marks a much-needed turnaround for Blumhouse Productions following the disappointing performance of M3GAN 2.0 earlier this year.

Directed by Black Phone creator Scott Derrickson, the sequel once again stars Ethan Hawke as the sinister Grabber. This time, the story turns darker as the vengeful killer returns from beyond the grave to haunt Gwen, the younger sister of Finn (played by Mason Thames), his previous victim. Madeleine McGraw takes on the pivotal role of Gwen in a storyline that critics say successfully expands the original universe.

Better Than Expected, Despite Horror Market Fatigue

Heading into the weekend, Universal projected a modest $18 million debut for the R-rated thriller. But strong word of mouth, positive audience reception (a B CinemaScore, which is a strong grade for horror), and solid international performance pushed the film far beyond expectations.

Internationally, Black Phone 2 grossed $15.5 million from 72 overseas markets. Mexico led the foreign markets with an impressive $4.3 million haul — a standout figure for a horror release. Latinos, who continue to be among the most frequent moviegoers in the U.S., made up nearly 39% of the domestic audience.

The film’s $30 million production budget means it’s already on track to be profitable in just its opening frame — a rarity for horror sequels, especially post-pandemic.

A Comeback for Blumhouse

After the high-profile flop of M3GAN 2.0, Black Phone 2’s performance signals a strong rebound for horror studio Blumhouse, which has been navigating a market where genre fatigue and oversaturation have dulled returns.

The original Black Phone was a 2021 sleeper hit, grossing $161 million globally after opening with $23.6 million domestically. That release came at a time when theaters were only beginning to recover from the pandemic, making its performance even more remarkable.

The sequel’s higher opening suggests that the franchise still has momentum — and a loyal fan base — despite growing competition in the horror space.

Elsewhere at the Box Office: Hits and Misses

While Black Phone 2 took the top spot, the rest of the box office weekend told a more mixed story:

• Disney’s Tron: Ares slipped 65% in its second weekend, pulling in $11.1 million domestically for a 10-day total of $54.6 million. The $180 million tentpole earned $14.1 million overseas, with a disappointing $2.8 million debut in China, pushing its global total to $103 million — still far from breakeven.
• Aziz Ansari’s R-rated comedy Good Fortune launched to a modest $6.2 million despite a star-studded cast including Seth Rogen, Keanu Reeves, Sandra Oh, and Keke Palmer. The $30 million film settled into third place and received generally positive reviews, but couldn’t generate enough buzz to bring in a wider audience.
• Warner Bros.’ One Battle After Another passed the $100 million mark internationally. With a domestic total of $61.9 million and a global haul of $162.5 million, the Paul Thomas Anderson-directed drama remains a steady awards-season contender.
• Miramax’s Roofman earned $3.7 million in its second weekend, bringing its global total to $16.4 million. The crime comedy stars Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst.
• Angel Studios’ Truth & Treason, a Holocaust drama based on true events, debuted with $2.7 million and scored an A CinemaScore — the highest of any new wide release this weekend.

Specialty Market: Awards Season Watch Begins

At the indie box office, major festival players began their rollout:

• Jafar Panahi’s It Was Just an Accident opened in three theaters in New York and Los Angeles with a stellar five-day per-theater average of $38,333. The Cannes Palme d’Or winner is now France’s official submission for the 2026 Oscars and is expected to campaign in multiple categories, including Best Picture.
• Kelly Reichardt’s The Mastermind, starring Josh O’Connor, Alma Haim, and Hope Davis, posted a strong $20,841 per-location average in five theaters. The heist drama, backed by Mubi, has its eyes set on a wider release and awards traction in the coming weeks.
• Meanwhile, Luca Guadagnino’s After the Hunt struggled in expansion, grossing just $1.6 million after widening to over 1,200 theaters. Despite strong performances from Julia Roberts and Andrew Garfield, lukewarm reviews and a C- CinemaScore have dimmed its awards potential.

Final Take

Black Phone 2’s breakout debut proves there’s still life in the horror genre — especially when it’s character-driven, well-crafted, and backed by a compelling franchise. As Blumhouse regains its footing, the film’s early success may also help boost confidence in mid-budget genre movies heading into a competitive fall season.