Ethan Hawke is our new nightmare in trailer for Sinister director’s next horror film ‘The Black Phone’

Before he combined his horror chops with the Marvel Cinematic Universe in Doctor Strange, director Scott Derrickson freaked us all out with the horror film Sinister. Now he’s back to scaring us all to death — and you’re definitely going to want to take the call.

A new trailer for Derrickson’s latest horror film, The Black Phone, from Blumhouse and Universal Pictures has arrived. The period-set thriller follows Finney Blake (For All Mankind's Mason Thames), a 13-year-old boy who has been abducted and is being held by a sadistic masked killer known by locals as "The Grabber." But just as all hope seems lost, Finney starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone…from the killer’s former victims, trying to help him find a way to survive and escape.

The Grabber is played by Sinister star and four-time Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke, who is almost unrecognizably terrifying in the role. Seriously, he’s about to birth a new generation of nightmare fuel. The aesthetics are clearly leaning into some It vibes (all the way down to some red black balloons and a yellow rain slicker), and for the most part it works. The film is based on the award-winning short story of the same name written by Locke & Key co-creator, Joe Hill (he just so happens to be the son of Stephen King), for his 20th Century Ghosts collection.

Check out the trailer below:

The film is produced, directed, and co-written by Derrickson, whose horror credits include the aforementioned Sinister as well as The Exorcism of Emily Rose and Deliver Us from Evil. This is the filmmaker's first big screen effort since bowing out of Marvel's Doctor Strange sequel last year (he was ultimately replaced with Sam Raimi). 

The screenplay hails from Derrickson and his frequent writing collaborator, C. Robert Cargill. Cargill and Jason Blum also serve as producers. Ryan Turek and Christopher H. Warner are executive producers.

Speaking with Collider over the summer, Blum described the project as "definitely one of the creepiest movies we’ve ever done." He added: "Scott thinks it is his best movie. I’m such a fan of Scott’s…I really like all of his movies. I loved Sinister but I will certainly say it is one of his best movies. Maybe the best movie he has ever made."

The cast for The Black Phone also includes: Madeleine McGraw (Outcast), Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan), and James Ransone (It Chapter Two).

The Black Phone opens in theaters everywhere on February 4, 2022.

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