Stephen King is the author known for writing supernatural novels like It and The Shining. The novelist claimed that Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone is comparable to one of his most iconic novels. The Black Phone is going to be one of the darkest films the audience is going to see anytime soon. It tells the story of a boy named Finney, played by Mason Thames, kidnapped by The Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke. The young boy tries to break free with the help of the ghosts of the previous captives. The story is based on a story by Joe Hill.
You may also like: Why Stephen King Was Right in Calling Stranger Things Season 4 ‘Lame’
Stephin King compared The Black Phone with one of his novels
The dark and supernatural premise of the film without a doubt makes it comparable to great horror novels. Stephen King compared the movie to his novel “Stand by Me in Hell.” In an interview, Scott Derrickson was asked about how the movie was comparable to other coming-of-age movies, to which he answered that Stephen King, who is the father of Joe Hill – the writer of the story, gave an apt comparison.
Related: The Black Phone: Win Tickets To An Early Screening Near You
The director said, “I know that [author Joe Hill] showed it to his dad. And Stephen King’s comment… He saw it and apparently loved it. And his comment to Joe was, “It’s ‘Stand By Me’ in hell,” which I thought was great.” He also added that the writer’s quote should be on the poster. Also, he said that it accurately shows the movie’s realistic depiction of trauma. It is what makes it a cross-genre story.
Scott Derrickson appreciated the young actors in the film
The director credited the young actors in the film. He said that it was about the truthfulness of young kids. He believes that the movie’s greatness is because of the bond between Finney and his sister Gwen, played by Madeliene McGraw. The two fight together as they have to face monsters of their own even before The Grabber came into their lives.
Also read: Scott Derrickson Reveals Leaving Doctor Strange 2 Was “Hardest Decision of his Career”
He further added, “I felt that the heart and soul and emotion of the movie would be reliant upon how well I could establish, not just their individual characters, but the bond between the two of them, and make the audience really root for their connection, and that would sustain the emotion of the movie.” He even said that though it is a horror film, it is also a coming-of-age movie with the story of “childhood trauma and the resilience of children.”
The Black Phone comes out on June 24, 2022
