Black Phone →

: While fictional, the villain was partially patterned after real-life serial killer John Wayne Gacy .

The film was generally well-received by both critics and casual viewers. Black Phone

: Received a score of 65 out of 100 , indicating "generally favorable" reviews. : While fictional, the villain was partially patterned

: It is based on a short story by Joe Hill (son of Stephen King) from his collection 20th Century Ghosts . : While fictional

: Audiences gave it a B+ grade , citing Ethan Hawke’s performance and the Blumhouse branding as primary reasons for attending.

The Black Phone was a major success for Blumhouse and Universal, significantly outperforming its budget.