Filmmaker Scott Derrickson (Sinister, Doctor Strange) plans to direct an adaptation of Joe Hill’s horror short story Black Phone, says BloodyDisgusting. Derrickson will also help turn the story into a screenplay alongside his frequent collaborator – reviewer, screenwriter, and novelist Robert Cargill. Additionally, Joe Hill (NOS4A2, Horns, Locke and Key) will serve as one of the executive producers. Mason Thames (For All Mankind) and Madeleine McGraw (American Sniper) will play the leads. Black Phone is yet another joint production between Blumhouse and Universal.
Black Phone tells a story about an abducted kid locked in a sound-proof basement. His sole company is an old, disconnected telephone that inexplicably starts ringing at night. Black Phone first appeared in 2005 as part of Hill’s short story collection 20th Century Ghosts.
Derrickson is best known for his horror movies like The Exorcism of Emily Rose, Sinister, and Deliver Us from Evil. In 2016 he directed Doctor Strange, introducing the old superhero into Marvel’s Cinematic Universe. Derrickson was to direct its sequel as well, titled Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. However, due to creative differences, he left the production early this year to focus on other projects. Instead, Sam Raimi will direct the sequel.
