credit: Universal
Released after the epic, somewhat standalone Marvel series “Moon Knight,” Ethan Hawke played the villain, Arthur Harrow, a man once in tune with an Egyptian God, now searching for a way to rid the world of sin-doers through nefarious, ancient Egyptian God-related methods, he played a more twisted villain in “The Black Phone.” Trailers for “The Black Phone” showed a trapped boy in a basement of sorts with nothing but a bed, appearances from the man that put him there, and a black phone. Through the original trailer for”The Black Phone,” we saw darkness, creepiness, and the child mentioned above fighting for his life. As “The Black Phone” was released at Fantastic Fest in September 2021 and internationally and theatrically on June 24th, 2022, the Blu-ray, DVD, and digital versions of the film have been available for some time. Below, we’ve detailed “The Black Phone” and explored the various release dates of the various platforms, where to stream the R-rated movie, and more.
credit: Universal
“The Black Phone”
“The Black Phone,” based on a short story from a book containing a collection of such stories, gave no hint to anyone who hasn’t read the stories by Joe Hill. “The Black Phone” was brought to life by almost “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” director Scott Derrickson. Scott Derrickson dropped out of the Doctor Strange sequel when creative differences between himself and others arose, which led to “The Black Phone” being filmed sooner than expected, as Derrickson had already anticipated the film’s creation. Scott Derrickson may have dropped off the film that touched on horror to make “The Black Phone,” but as the film was a more original, truly new-age horror film, Scott Derrickson likely hasn’t regretted the decision. Overall, the story of “The Black Phone” follows a kidnapped teenager trapped in a room with nothing but a black phone on the wall. However, when the phone that the teenager was informed of didn’t work started to ring, the voice of a previous victim on the other end, the escape started. Even the trailers and posters for “The Black Phone” were intimidating and strange to most, with Ethan Hawke being compared to a Lon Chaney character from “London After Midnight” due to the mask and overall eeriness. It should also come as no surprise that Jason Blum, famously of Blumhouse Productions, was a producer of “The Black Phone,” and for a good reason, with the CEO of Blumhouse being credited for “The Purge,” “Insidious,” “Paranormal Activity,” and others. Even though “The Black Phone” had a release date nine months after its premiere, that didn’t deter any from witnessing the film that time later.
credit: Universal
“The Black Phone” Short Story
As stated above, “The Black Phone” was one of several stories included in a book of short stories by author Joe Hill. However, while the film was noted for staying true to the original work, as a film that plays out much longer, or at least more detailed than the original work, the film explored enough of the original story in such detail that a sequel has been discussed with some approval already granted from Hill. The original short story from a book of horror tales, with the same title as “The Black Phone,” was released in 2005 as part of a more remarkable book of short stories, all from Joe Hill, and “The Black Phone” may be the most twisted yet as it may have opened the door to a potential new universe of films for Universal.
“The Black Phone” Release Date
The Black Phone may have been showcased at a film festival, Fantastic Fest, before it hit theaters, about nine months later, but since the film hit theaters in June of 2022, the movie has also been released on Blu-ray, DVD, and streaming services, as well as video-on-demand. However, as each person has their preferences, they could wait for what’s typically the final but cheapest form to view a movie, streaming services, and luck, “The Black Phone” was one of those movies that were swiftly available on streaming platforms.
credit: Universal
“The Black Phone” Streaming
Streaming platforms have changed everything regarding movies and television, such as when, where to watch them, and how much one needs to pay to enjoy them. Luckily, although those that wish to view the movie for the first time and don’t wish to pay anything additional are in luck, as of August 14th, “The Black Phone” was released on Peacock, the NBCUniversal streaming service. However, for those that don’t have a Peacock subscription, “The Black Phone” was released on video-on-demand as well on July 14th, but there’s usually a hefty fee to rent a movie for 48 hours. There have also been talks of a sequel already, so if a universe isn’t built between Hill, Derrickson, Blumhouse, and Universal, a sequel will be the least we will see from “The Black Phone.” Once you’ve finished “The Black Phone,” other films may also grab your interest wherever you watch the film.
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