Summary

• Anya Taylor-Joy joins The Gorge for its unique blend of romance and action, excited to finally work with Miles Teller.
• The film's genre mix intrigued Taylor-Joy, who finds the love story intertwined with action an exciting challenge.
• The Gorge aims to explore the complex relationship between two soldiers amid their intense military duties.

Scott Derrickson, director of The Black Phone, is once again stepping into the spotlight with his latest project, The Gorge. The film's genre, as described by star Anya Taylor-Joy, appears to mix elements of both a love story and an action-packed narrative.

Speaking with Collider, Taylor-Joy shared her excitement for joining the cast of The Gorge. Her decision was driven by a combination of professional camaraderie and the unique nature of the film's genre. According to the actress, one of her main motivations was the chance to finally collaborate with Miles Teller, a close friend with whom she had long sought to work.

Oh, I was really excited to work with Miles [Teller]. We’re all good friends, but we’ve been wanting to work together for a really long time.

Taylor-Joy's fascination with The Gorge stems from its approach to storytelling. "It was both a love story and an action movie," she noted. This dual-genre aspect was a significant draw for her, offering a challenge and the opportunity to explore new creative territory. Her excitement about the project is evident as she prepares to bring this script to life.

I think I was intrigued by the fact that it was semi genre-less in the sense that it was both a love story and an action movie. So, I was excited about that.

Scott Derrickson's film, The Gorge, promises a blend of romance and action, featuring Anya Taylor-Joy and Miles Teller as two young soldiers caught in a turbulent love affair amid their intense military duties. The film explores their complex relationship, balancing their lethal skills with their growing affection, set against the backdrop of a mission to guard a seemingly infinite gorge.

The screenplay is crafted by Zach Dean, known for his work on Fast X and The Tomorrow War, hinting at a robust action framework likely to underpin the emotional storyline. Alongside Taylor-Joy and Teller, the film features a diverse ensemble including William Houston, Sigourney Weaver, and Adam Scott-Rowley, among others. Details about their characters remain scant.

Scott Derrickson and Ethan Hawke Reunite for The Black Phone 2

Blumhouse and Universal have confirmed the return of Scott Derrickson as director for the sequel to the 2022 hit horror film The Black Phone. The movie is slated for a June 27, 2025 release. According to producer Ryan Turek in a recent interview with ComicBook, while many details about The Black Phone 2 are still under wraps, the return of Ethan Hawke in his chilling role as The Grabber has been secured.

The decision to bring back Derrickson hinges on Hawke’s involvement. Derrickson himself emphasized the importance of Hawke's return in continuing the story, stating that a sequel without him wouldn't be worthwhile. His reprise of The Grabber was a non-negotiable condition for Derrickson’s involvement.

It's possible. It's not a definite thing, but if it does become definite, you'll be the first to hear... I can tell you this much, I wouldn't make a 'Black Phone' sequel without Ethan. I don't think there'd be any point in doing that.

Derrickson hinted at potential expansions of The Black Phone universe. In his contribution to V/H/S/85, a film in the popular found footage anthology series now streaming on Shudder, he introduced subtle crossovers from The Black Phone.

"Oh, there's actually a universe crossover in there, which I guess I made it too subtle because nobody's picking it up. But James Ransone tells Detective Wayne, when he's behind the glass, he was talking about Gunther. He says, 'He has these dreams that are prophetic.' And he says, 'My sister had the same gift. They drove her crazy, she killed herself.' And he said, 'Gunther's cousin Gwen has the same thing too. I f***ing hate it.' Well, the sister is Gwen's mom, and Gwen is Gwen from The Black Phone."

He expressed some surprise that fans have not more widely recognized these connections, which involve characters with prophetic dreams linking back to his earlier film.