Sinister director's new horror movie reportedly has one of the scariest trailers ever made

Sinister
(Image credit: Summit Entertainment)

Sinister, director Scott Derrickson’s horror cult classic, has already been named the scariest movie of all time. The trailer for his next movie, The Black Phone, has landed behind-closed-doors at CinemaCon and it’s already been described as the scariest teaser one critic has ever seen. So, horror fans: get very, very excited.

The Black Phone, starring Ethan Hawke, focuses on a serial killer (Hawke) who has kidnapped a boy and trapped him in his basement. Their only means of escape appears to be via a telephone that allows him to communicate with the serial killer’s past victims.

"I say with zero exaggeration that The Black Phone clip is maybe the scariest movie trailer I've ever seen," Variety’s Matt Donnelly said on Twitter after his CinemaCon viewing.

According to Variety, the teaser for the Blumhouse-produced horror, based on a short story from Locke & Key writer Joe Hill, begins with Hawke luring the boy (Mason Thames) into his basement. From there, all sorts of horrific imagery and supernatural goings-on fill the screen.

As described, "The movie promises pure dread as Thames is tortured by Hawke, fond of donning terrifying masks and taunting him with stories of previous basement tenants and his own childhood."

Curiously, Blumhouse founder Jason Blum now ranks The Black Phone over Sinister as the scariest movie he’s ever worked on. We’re already getting chills just thinking about it – and we’ve not even seen a single second yet. Could this be another horror classic in the making?

The Black Phone hits cinemas on January 28, 2022.

While you wait – behind the sofa or otherwise – check out some of the best horror movies ever made.

Bradley Russell

I'm the Senior Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, focusing on news, features, and interviews with some of the biggest names in film and TV. On-site, you'll find me marveling at Marvel and providing analysis and room temperature takes on the newest films, Star Wars and, of course, anime. Outside of GR, I love getting lost in a good 100-hour JRPG, Warzone, and kicking back on the (virtual) field with Football Manager. My work has also been featured in OPM, FourFourTwo, and Game Revolution.