Ethan Hawke is one of those creepy magicians in the Black Phone trailer
Hawke stars as a mask-loving child predator in the latest from Blumhouse and Scott Derrickson
Aux News The Black Phone
From the twisted mind of Scott Derrickson, director of Doctor Strange and Sinister, comes The Black Phone. Starring Ethan Hawke as one of those mask-loving, top hat-wearing murderous magicians you’re always reading about, The Black Phone brings Derrickson out of Marvel Universe and back into the Blumhouse.
Finney Shaw, a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
The Black Phone marks the first collaboration between Hawke and Derrickson since Sinister. And Hawke looks to be having a ball as the Pennywise-meets-Wonka child killer that drives around in an inconspicuous black van with the word “abracadabra” painted on the side. Which reminds us, what is this, a town from Scooby-Doo? Can’t the cops spot a murdering magician from that van? Obviously not, because Finney Shaw, the kidnapped boy trapped in the basement, is going to have use his wiles and the ghosts of Hawke’s victims to get out.
But the real selling point here is Ethan Hawke—even if his face remains hidden behind one of the masks from Batman Returns. The trailer does give us a little taste of Hawke’s creepy killer in the beginning.
The Black Phone is Derrickson’s first horror movie since getting swept up in the maniacal hands of Doctor Strange. After creative difference-ing his way out of the sequel, the director is returning to his horror roots. It’s probably not as lucrative, but making an original horror film over another Marvel movie is perhaps more satisfying.
The Black Phone opens in theaters on February 3, 2022.
22 Comments
Oh so Hawke plays a magician.
Pretty sure most magicians are creepy. Ok, I’ll say it; all magicians are creepy…some creepier than others.
Magicians’ entire trade is built upon deceiving people for adoration. They are not to be trusted.
My friend’s parents had a magic act back in the 50’s and 60’s, and literally called themselves “The Deceptioneers.”They were East Coast Republicans who lied about almost everything.
Or they’re dragons.
Phooey! Doug Henning is not creepy.
He was probably a very nice guy. But…so, so creepy!
Some magicians’ mothers are creepier than other magicians’ mothers.
even Job? even Yorick (more of an escape artist really)?
Authorities would generally not be outwardly suspicious about a mask wearing magician who drives around in an inconspicuous black van with the word “abracadabra” painted on the side. It’s not like the vehicle would indicate that he was trying to shut down the old, haunted amusement park in some sort of insurance scam or land grab. He’d probably get away with it too unless there’s some meddling kids around in an inconspicuous van with the words “Mystery Machine” painted on the side.
I’d still like to see the Snowpiercer pilot directed by Derrickson & written by Josh Friedman. I decided not to watch the show after that was scrapped.
the show takes a season to find its footing, but with the introduction of Sean Bean it is really cooking now (despite a few issues brought about by the constant need to try to rehabilitate characters who are essentially mass murderers), I would recommend it.
The idea of the creepy bloody ghosts being the helpful good guys and a living person being the monster is a fun idea.
100% agree but like…unless there’s a bigger twist here wouldn’t it be better to let that plot point unfold in the movie and not let the audience in on it?Because otherwise I’m not seeing a lot here that is drawing me to pay money to see this.
Yeah there’s a pretty powerful idea with supernatural phoenmena being their to aid not hurt, the world needed to right a wrong or something similar.Although the fact that trailer seemed to have a lot of plot in it does make me wonder if there’s a further twist.
This is an adaptation of a pretty, well, short-short story by Joe Hill. I wouldn’t be surprised if they added a whole third act that isn’t alluded to in the trailer.
This is an adaptation of a pretty, well, short-short story by Joe Hill. I wouldn’t be surprised if they added a whole third act that isn’t alluded to in the trailer.
SOMEBODY STOP ME!
I don’t understand. Is he one of those CREEPY magicians? Or one of THOSE creepy magicians?
This almost seems like it is trying to right the wrong of Sinister 2 which was terrible and in which the dead kids are bad?For one second in the trailer they went to super 8 and it reminded me of the snuff films in Sinister 1, which are some of the best horror moments in the last decade.However, the trailer has nearly everything the kids teach him, nearly everything his friend does to find him, leading up to the final confrontation…I think I just saw the whole movie and unless the reviews are really good I’m done.
Is Kimmie Schmidt one of the voices of the dead?