It raked in $132 million at the box office, but its next jump scare is aimed at your queue. Which sequel is slipping off one platform and stalking another?

The phone is ringing again, this time on Netflix. After a $132 million global run and a Peacock pit stop, Scott Derrickson’s Black Phone 2 reunites Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames for another chapter that refuses to stay buried. Streaming on Netflix starting May 16, 2026, it arrives with solid Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic marks and a chilling detour to Alpine Lake Camp, where the Grabber’s shadow still hangs.

$132 million horror sequel heads to Netflix after run on Peacock

Circle the date, horror fans. The sequel Black Phone 2 lands on Netflix on May 16, 2026, after a strong run in theaters and a splashy debut on Peacock. The film scared up $132 million worldwide, then climbed streaming charts in its first week on Peacock. Its shift to Netflix has been teased for months, and the timing feels just right.

In theaters: October 17, 2025
On Peacock: January 16, 2026
On Netflix: May 16, 2026

A horror hit prepares for its Netflix debut

Set 4 years after the events of The Black Phone (2021), the sequel returns to the shadow of the Grabber. Gwen, Finney Blake’s sister, is haunted by dreams of 3 murdered boys. She convinces Finney and their friend Ernesto to visit Alpine Lake Camp, where whispers of the Grabber still linger. The result is a tense trail of clues, grief, and unnerving encounters.

Familiar faces and a powerhouse team behind the scenes

Director Scott Derrickson reunites with co-writer C. Robert Cargill, a partnership that once again leans into dread rather than cheap jolts. Jason Blum produces under Blumhouse (a name horror fans trust). Onscreen, Ethan Hawke reprises the Grabber, with Mason Thames as Finney and Madeleine McGraw as Gwen. New and returning faces, including Demián Bichir and Miguel Mora, round out a cast built to unsettle.

Audience and critical reception: A mixed but intriguing response

Black Phone 2 earned a “Certified Fresh” 72% from critics and an 82% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes (a solid badge for genre fans). On Metacritic, it holds a 61 Metascore, with users averaging 5.9. The film’s reputation sits between steady and surprising, boosted by mood, sound design, and a story that asks a hard question: can the past ever be buried for good?

Save the date for Netflix’s streaming premiere

If you skipped the theater or missed the Peacock window, you are in luck. The Alpine Lake setting, the returning siblings, and the Grabber’s echo create a chill that lingers after the credits. Queue it up on May 16, 2026, for a night of slow-burn menace. This is the case where a sequel earns its place, and a rewatch of the original pays off.