The Big Picture

The 10 Best Horror Movies of 2025 and ‘Black Phone 2’

October 21, 2025

Key Takeaways Copied to clipboard!

  • The conversation kicks off with movie news, including rumors of a December trailer for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' updates on Michael Mann's 'Heat II' production, and Eva Victor being cast in Tony Gilroy's 'Behemoth,' alongside the announcement of guest Alex Ross Perry's segment in 'V/H/S/Halloween.' 
  • The hosts found Scott Derrickson's sequel, 'The Black Phone 2,' to be disappointing due to an over-reliance on exposition to explain its supernatural elements and franchise continuation, contrasting it with the tighter structure of the original film and its inspiration, 'A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.' 
  • The current state of horror is described as a paradox where the genre is 'too good now,' with auteur-driven, high-quality films dominating the top tier, while the reliable middle-rung of studio horror is struggling, often suffering from excessive character trauma exposition inherited from the 'elevated horror' trend. 
  • Filmmaker Alex Ross Perry's contribution to *V/H/S/Halloween*, titled "Kidprint," is described as a highly depraved, grounded horror piece inspired by unsettling 90s 'Kid Print' commercials, reflecting Perry's personal fears as a parent. 
  • The production of horror anthologies like *V/H/S/Halloween* is often done concurrently in a vacuum with minimal cross-segment communication, relying on the producers to sequence the final product based on thematic elements like trick-or-treating. 
  • The structure of horror anthologies, popularized by media like *Goosebumps* and *Tales from the Crypt*, remains a compelling format, though modern theatrical releases are rare, favoring streaming distribution, while single-filmmaker anthologies often achieve higher critical cohesion than multi-filmmaker efforts. 
  • Filmmaker Freddie Francis is highlighted as having one of the most fascinating careers, serving as a cinematographer on masterpieces like *Lawrence of Arabia* and *Dune*, while also directing numerous horror omnibus films such as the original *Tales from the Crypt*. 
  • The discussion touches upon the Spanish gothic horror omnibus *Cake of Blood* from the Severin Gothic horror Spanish set, noting that its quality is perceived as superior to the Italian gothic horror counterparts. 
  • The conversation concludes with a humorous tangent about the desire for a sequel where the villain from *The Black Phone* goes to hell, suggesting a 'Grabber Goes to Hell' movie might be more appealing than *The Black Phone 2*, and a running joke about the necessity of bringing physical media (discs) to podcast events in Los Angeles. 

Segments

Podcast Introduction and Guest Setup
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(00:00:09)
  • Key Takeaway: Filmmaker Alex Ross Perry, a frequent guest, is joining the show to discuss his segment ‘Kidprint’ in the new ‘V/H/S/Halloween’ film and anthology horror.
  • Summary: Sean Fennessey introduces Chris Ryan (CR) to discuss 2025 horror movies, noting that Alex Ross Perry will join later. Perry has contributed a segment called ‘Kidprint’ to the ‘V/H/S/Halloween’ anthology film this year. Perry holds the record for the most guest appearances on the podcast.
Movie News Headlines
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(00:02:02)
  • Key Takeaway: A rumor suggests Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ will release a trailer in December, and Michael Mann’s ‘Heat II’ is slated to shoot next year after moving from Warner Brothers to Amazon.
  • Summary: Chris Ryan shares news, including the rumor of a December trailer for Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey,’ which Ryan believes will be an art form unto itself, unlike long action movie trailers. Michael Mann confirmed he plans to shoot ‘Heat II’ next year and discussed the potential use of de-aging technology, drawing a comparison to Scorsese’s work. Tony Gilroy’s new film, ‘Behemoth,’ has cast Eva Victor alongside Pedro Pascal, replacing Oscar Isaac.
Review of ‘The Black Phone 2’
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(00:10:32)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘The Black Phone 2’ suffers from an over-reliance on expository dialogue to explain its new supernatural rules and franchise connections, slowing the runtime significantly.
  • Summary: Despite the first act having interesting setup and visual style shifts, the film becomes bogged down by lengthy exposition explaining the Grabber’s return from the dead and a major retcon regarding the children’s mother. The movie is criticized for being deathly serious and too long (1 hour 55 minutes), unlike its inspiration, ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors.’ The success of the film is noted as a positive for Blumhouse after a recent cold streak at the box office.
State of Horror Genre Discussion
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(00:26:07)
  • Key Takeaway: The horror genre is in a weird place characterized by an imbalance where the top tier features incredible auteur-driven films, while the reliable middle-rung of studio horror lacks consistent entertainment value.
  • Summary: The hosts question if horror is ’too good now’ due to major successes like ‘Sinners,’ ‘Weapons,’ and ‘28 Years Later,’ which feature big swings from great filmmakers. This success has potentially sucked up the best talent, leaving the middle tier of studio horror (like ‘M3GAN 2.0’ or ‘The Conjuring: Last Rites’) feeling subpar and overly reliant on exposition. There is a perceived over-indexing on character trauma, following the impact of films like ‘Hereditary,’ at the expense of reliable scares.
Favorite Horror Films of the Year (So Far)
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(00:36:16)
  • Key Takeaway: ‘V/H/S/Halloween’ is considered one of the best entries in the series, with Alex Ross Perry’s segment ‘Kidprint’ being particularly disturbing.
  • Summary: The hosts praise ‘V/H/S/Halloween’ for its lighter, more playful Halloween vibe compared to darker previous installments, though Alex Ross Perry’s ‘Kidprint’ is described as ‘fucked up.’ Sean Burns’ ‘Dangerous Animals’ is highlighted for its unique concept of a killer utilizing sharks as a weapon, though the film itself was considered baggy. Mickey Keating’s ‘Invader’ is recommended as a punishing but very cool, short (70-minute) film made with a run-and-gun ethos.
Reviewing Recent Horror Films
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(00:56:09)
  • Key Takeaway: “Descendant” is a sci-fi allegory produced by the Benson and Moorhead family, while “Jimmy and Stiggs” is an 84-minute, zany, splatter-core alien murder film.
  • Summary: “Goodboy” is noted as a short film, only 73 minutes long, expected soon on Shudder. “Descendant” stars Ross Marquand and Sarah Bolger and features a security guard dealing with alien invasion following childhood trauma. “Jimmy and Stiggs” is described as a crazy, neon-drenched film about a filmmaker fighting aliens in his apartment, featuring very gross and funny alien kills.
Bleeding and Comic Horror
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(00:58:56)
  • Key Takeaway: “Bleeding” functions as an allegory for opioid addiction, reminiscent of early Jeff Nichols’ style, contrasting with lighter options like “Clown in a Cornfield.”
  • Summary: “Bleeding” is a unique vampire movie that allegorizes drug addiction, comparing blood consumption to drug dependency. For lighter viewing, “Fear Street Prom Queen” is serviceable, and “Clown in a Cornfield” is a fun slasher with a good clown killer. “Clown in a Cornfield” is considered more successful than the I Know What You Did Last Summer reboot because it embraces its tongue-in-cheek nature.
Alex Ross Perry on ‘Kidprint’
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(01:04:49)
  • Key Takeaway: Alex Ross Perry joined the The Big Picture hosts to discuss his segment “Kidprint” in V/H/S/Halloween, which he created by focusing on what genuinely scares him as a parent: real-world threats like child kidnapping.
  • Summary: Perry secured his spot in V/H/S/Halloween after expressing interest to Shudder programmer Sam Zimmerman, pitching an idea based on unsettling 90s ‘Kid Print’ commercials. He prioritizes making what upsets him personally, contrasting grounded fears (like home invasion) with supernatural ones (like demons). The segment was shot quickly, adhering to the anthology’s tight production schedule and budget constraints.
Anthology Production Secrets
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(01:16:23)
  • Key Takeaway: Filmmakers creating segments for V/H/S/Halloween work in isolation, often unaware of other segments’ content or the final sequence until edits are complete, with the producers managing the overall structure.
  • Summary: Perry received minimal insight into other segments, learning only later that segments one, three, and five all coincidentally involved trick-or-treating, which dictated the placement of his segment. The entire production process, from initial conversations to final delivery, was compressed into a very short window, often six weeks. The non-SAG nature of the VHS franchise allows for casting fresh faces, contributing to the found-footage feel.
Defining Good Horror Anthologies
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(01:25:00)
  • Key Takeaway: Good horror anthologies are defined by their ability to maintain a consistent thematic vibe across segments, and single-filmmaker efforts like Creep Show often achieve greater cohesion than multi-filmmaker projects.
  • Summary: The theatrical release model for horror anthologies has largely vanished, replaced by streaming releases timed around Halloween, as seen with the VHS franchise. Historically, single-director anthologies like Trick or Treat and Creep Show are highly ranked because they maintain a unified tone. The structure keeps the viewer engaged by offering frequent narrative resets, preventing mental fatigue.
Horror Viewing Habits and Industry Trends
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(01:41:34)
  • Key Takeaway: Many horror fans engage in structured ‘horror hangovers’ post-Halloween, preferring spooky but less intense films, while studios confusingly release major horror titles like Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein after the holiday.
  • Summary: Hosts and guests adhere to regimented horror viewing schedules leading up to Halloween, often saving supernatural thrillers for the post-holiday ‘hangover’ period. The success of anthologies like Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Are You Afraid of the Dark normalized 20-30 minute horror installments for audiences. The current industry trend favors multi-filmmaker anthologies over single-vision projects, despite the latter often being critically superior.
Filmmaker’s Premiere Attendance
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(01:51:43)
  • Key Takeaway: Filmmakers rarely attend the world premiere of their own movie the same night it screens.
  • Summary: A filmmaker left a party at 8 PM to attend the (11:30) PM world premiere of their film, XX. A programmer noted this was an unusual occurrence, as filmmakers typically do not attend their own premiere screenings that night. This anecdote relates to the guest’s first appearance on The Big Picture podcast, which followed the release of Golden Exits.
Freddie Francis Career Retrospective
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(01:52:12)
  • Key Takeaway: Freddie Francis holds the record for directing the most horror omnibus movies while simultaneously maintaining a high-profile cinematography career.
  • Summary: Freddie Francis is cited as having perhaps the most fascinating career in movies, serving as the cinematographer for films like Lawrence of Arabia, The Innocents, and David Lynch’s Dune and Elephant Man. As a director, he exclusively focused on horror and Hammer horror films, directing at least five omnibus movies including Tales from the Crypt and Torture Garden.
Cake of Blood Omnibus Review
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(01:53:35)
  • Key Takeaway: Cake of Blood, part of the Spanish gothic horror box set from Severin, offers a mixed bag of quality, with one segment being truly unwatchable and another being awesome.
  • Summary: The Spanish gothic horror set volume four, Cake of Blood, is considered superior to the Italian gothic horror volumes, whose basement quality is described as rock bottom. The second segment of Cake of Blood is a very literal, 20-minute retelling of Frankenstein that the speaker found baffling. The omnibus structure is valued because it allows for a mix of quality, where one strikeout is acceptable alongside singles.
High Council Invitations and Emmy Travel
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(01:54:47)
  • Key Takeaway: Attending the ‘High Council’ sessions often requires flying to Los Angeles with physical media (discs) in a suitcase, a feat sometimes facilitated by Emmy-related travel.
  • Summary: The requirement for joining the ‘High Council’ seems to involve bringing physical media, possibly as a prerequisite for invitation. The logistics of this were discussed in relation to a guest who was in LA for the Emmys, where his wife was nominated for shows like The White Lotus. The speaker joked that if HBO flew him first class, he would bring suitcases full of discs too.
Wawa Coffee in Delco Crime Shows
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(01:56:17)
  • Key Takeaway: Delco crime shows frequently feature Wawa coffee cups as props, despite seemingly never showing the characters actually filming inside a Wawa location.
  • Summary: The speaker noted that in the second Delco crime show involving the director, Wawa coffee cups appear every 16 to 25 minutes. Despite the frequent product placement, the shows do not feature establishing shots of characters leaving a Wawa parking lot, suggesting the brand is approving logo usage without full on-location filming.
Future Projects and Grabber’s Fate
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(01:57:32)
  • Key Takeaway: Alex Ross Perry plans to focus on WGA insurance-qualifying screenwriting rather than passion projects, while Ethan Hawke desires a Black Phone 3 where the Grabber goes to hell.
  • Summary: Perry stated that continuing passion projects that yield no income is unproductive for a parent, necessitating a return to screenwriting for WGA qualification. Ethan Hawke expressed interest in Black Phone 3, specifically wanting the villain, the Grabber, to go to hell, leading to suggestions for a ‘Grabber Goes to Hell’ or a ‘Purge Grabber crossover’ film.