New horror sequel The Black Phone 2 called "tremendous", "nightmarish", and "better" than the original in first reviews – and even Stephen King is a massive fan

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The Black Phone 2 scores overwhelmingly positive first reviews,

Mason Thames as Finn and Ethan Hawke as The Grabber in The Black Phone 2 trailer
(Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Despite many of this year's best horror movies releasing earlier in the calendar, it looks like spooky season 2025 is saved as upcoming horror sequel The Black Phone 2 has debuted to stellar first reviews, and even Stephen King is a fan.

Following Scott Derrickson's anticipated follow-up premiering at Fantastic Fest 2025, horror legend King took to Twitter to praise the sequel, writing, "It’s not as good as the first one. IT’S BETTER."

Megan Garside
Megan Garside
Junior Social Media Editor, GamesRadar+

I'm the Junior Social Media Editor here at GamesRadar+, handling all of Total Film's social platforms. However, I also write, covering all things film and TV for the site's entertainment section. I joined GamesRadar+ in 2023 and have been here ever since. I previously worked in communications after graduating with an MA in journalism. In my spare time, you can find me binging horror movies or getting lost in a cosy little game on my Switch.

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