By Irshad Khan 
Blumhouse’s The Black Phone 2 is off to a solid start, dialing up $26.5 million at the U.S. box office and $42 million globally in its opening weekend. The horror sequel not only topped the North American box office charts but also exceeded the original film’s debut, providing a much-needed win for Blumhouse after a challenging year marked by several underperforming releases.
Strong Opening Weekend Performance
Universal Pictures and Blumhouse’s The Black Phone 2 dominated the box office this past weekend, securing the number one position with an estimated $26.5 million from 3,411 theaters across North America. The film’s per-screen average came in at $7,769, demonstrating strong audience interest despite limited competition in the October marketplace.
Internationally, the horror sequel collected $15.5 million from 71 markets, bringing its worldwide total to $42 million. Top-performing territories included Mexico with $4.3 million, the United Kingdom and Ireland with $1.5 million, and Brazil with $1.2 million. The film opened at number one in several major international markets, outpacing both the original film and other recent Blumhouse releases in comparable territories.
Surpassing The Original
The Black Phone 2 successfully exceeded its predecessor’s opening weekend performance, which debuted with $23.6 million domestically and $35.8 million globally back in 2022. While the difference may seem modest at first glance, it’s particularly impressive considering the dramatically different release contexts. The original film opened in fourth place during the competitive summer season, competing against blockbusters like “Elvis,” “Top Gun: Maverick,” and “Jurassic World: Dominion.”
In contrast, the sequel enjoyed a relatively clear October landscape with minimal competition, allowing it to capture the attention of horror fans eager for scares in the lead-up to Halloween. The original Black Phone went on to become a sleeper hit, grossing $161.4 million worldwide against an $18 million production budget. The sequel, made for approximately $30 million, is already well on its way to profitability.
Audience Demographics and Reception
Exit polls revealed that The Black Phone 2 attracted a predominantly young audience, with 63% of opening weekend ticket buyers falling between the ages of 18 and 34. The demographic breakdown showed strong diversity, with Hispanic viewers comprising the largest group at 39%, followed by Caucasian audiences at 35%, African American at 15%, and Asian viewers at 5%.
The film received a “B” grade on CinemaScore, which is considered solid for an R-rated horror film, though slightly lower than the original’s “B+” rating. Critical reception has been positive, with Rotten Tomatoes scores of 74% from critics and an impressive 85% from audiences. Director Scott Derrickson returned to helm the sequel, bringing back stars Ethan Hawke as The Grabber, Mason Thames as Finn, and Madeleine McGraw as Gwen, continuing the story four years after the events of the first film.
A Much-Needed Win for Blumhouse
The Black Phone 2 represents a significant turning point for Blumhouse, which has struggled at the box office throughout 2025. The studio’s previous releases this year, including “M3GAN 2.0” and “Wolf Man,” failed to meet expectations, with neither film surpassing the sequel’s opening weekend performance. In fact, The Black Phone 2 has already become Blumhouse’s highest-grossing theatrical release of 2025, surpassing the entire theatrical runs of both “M3GAN 2.0” and “Wolf Man.”
This marks the first Blumhouse film since 2023’s “Five Nights at Freddy’s” to open above $12 million domestically. That video game adaptation debuted with an impressive $80 million and went on to gross $137.27 million domestically. The success of The Black Phone 2 bodes well for the upcoming “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” scheduled for release on December 5, 2025, which could help Blumhouse close out the year on a high note.
Future Box Office Prospects
With Halloween approaching and no major horror releases scheduled until November, The Black Phone 2 is positioned to dominate the genre throughout the remainder of October. Industry analysts predict the film should have no trouble becoming profitable within the next few weeks, given its relatively modest $30 million production budget compared to its strong opening performance.
The question now is whether the sequel can match or exceed the original’s impressive $161.4 million worldwide total. While early indicators are positive, sustaining momentum beyond the opening weekend will be crucial. The film’s solid word-of-mouth, strong audience scores, and lack of direct competition suggest it has the potential for healthy legs at the box office. If The Black Phone 2 can maintain steady weekday business and minimize weekend-to-weekend drops, it could emerge as one of 2025’s most successful horror releases and restore Blumhouse’s position as a dominant force in the genre.
Sources: Variety, Deadline, The Wrap, Box Office Pro, NBC News, US News