Black Phone, The: Horror Thriller Starring Ethan Hawke

‘The Black Phone’ to Close Overlook Fest

The New Orleans genre festival has booked world bows for Carter Smith’s ‘Swallowed’ and Duncan Birmingham’s directorial debut ‘Who Invited Them?’

The Black Phone, a horror thriller starring Ethan Hawke and directed by Scott Derrickson for Blumhouse and Universal, is set to close the Overlook Film Festival.

The Black Phone portrays a kidnapped kid who finds himself in a soundproof basement surrounded by the remains of other victims and a phone ringing with calls from the dead. The thriller sees Hawke play the kidnapper.

New Orlean’s Overlook fest also revealed its first wave of titles, which includes two world premieres for director Carter Smith’s Swallowed, starring Jena Malone, and Duncan Birmingham’s directorial debut Who Invited Them?, a frightfest about a couple who hold a housewarming party only to learn their charming new neighbors have crashed the gathering.

There are also screenings for Andrew Semans’ Resurrection, starring Rebecca Hall and Tim Roth; Chloe Okuno’s Watcher, starring Maika Monroe; and Deadstream, a gorefest about a stunt-driven video blogger by directors Joseph Winter and Vanessa Winter.

“2022 has already proven to be an exceptional year in cinema, so it’s only fitting that this year we return the festival to the big screen,” festival co-director Michael Lerman said.

It also booked Pete Ohs’ Jethica, Jen Luc Herbulot’s Saloum from Senegal and Peter Strickland’s Flux Gourmet.

Overlook runs for four days from June 2 to June 5.