The Black Phone 2 took the top spot at the weekend box office, marking a much-needed success for Blumhouse Productions. After a series of stumbles, this sequel proves that horror — when done with grit and style — still packs a punch with audiences.
The movie is connecting with several demographics, from teens to longtime fans of the first film. It’s eerie, tense, and grounded — the kind of horror Blumhouse built its reputation on.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone 2 delivered horror maestro Jason Blum a major win, opening to a better-than-expected $26.5 million domestically from 3,411 theaters and $15.5 million from 72 international markets, for a global debut of $42 million.
Not bad for a film made on a relatively modest $30 million budget.
The movie’s debut follows a string of misses for the Universal-based banner — including the pricey flop M3GAN 2.0 earlier this year — making this victory especially sweet for Blumhouse.
If the studio can keep the momentum going, the next big win could come from Five Nights at Freddy’s Part Two, which already has massive fan anticipation building online.
For now, though, The Black Phone 2 is ringing loud and clear — and audiences are answering.
