The Black Phone: Why Children Are the Perfect Vehicle For Our Deepest Fears

Director/co-writer Scott Derrickson and producer Jason Blum sat down to discuss Blumhouse’s latest horror film starring Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Ethan Hawke. While Hawke’s masked Grabber stars on the poster, the film is about two siblings who fight for Finney Shaw’s (Mason Thames) survival using what tools they have available to them. Derrickson and Blum share their thoughts on why children in horror films are the perfect entry point for exploring audiences’ deepest fears. Set in the 70s, the film follows a young teen named Finney Shaw who is kidnapped by The Grabber, a man who has been taking young boys from around the town. Locked in a room in the basement of a house, Finney hears a disconnected wall phone ringing and is helped by the voices of previous victims to escape. Meanwhile, his sister Gwen is desperately looking for Finney using some hidden abilities.