By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept

News Junction

Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • World News
    World NewsShow More
    Elementary school custodian charged with pandering obscenities of a minor
    Elementary school custodian charged with pandering obscenities of a minor
    April 28, 2025
    “Cool” years are now hotter than the “warm” years of the past: tracking global temperatures through El Niño and La Niña
    “Cool” years are now hotter than the “warm” years of the past: tracking global temperatures through El Niño and La Niña
    April 28, 2025
    Commentary: Trump’s tariffs are an opportunity for Indonesia to advance its interests
    Commentary: Trump’s tariffs are an opportunity for Indonesia to advance its interests
    April 28, 2025
    Has he finally realised Putin is playing him, or is Trump just blowing in the wind?
    Has he finally realised Putin is playing him, or is Trump just blowing in the wind?
    April 28, 2025
    Pilgrims travel to Pope Francis’s tomb to remember the late pontiff | World News
    Pilgrims travel to Pope Francis’s tomb to remember the late pontiff | World News
    April 27, 2025
  • Business
    BusinessShow More
    Ukraine blows up bridges to consolidate its positions in Russia
    Ukraine blows up bridges to consolidate its positions in Russia
    August 18, 2024
    Commentary: AI phones from Google and Apple will erode trust in everything
    Commentary: AI phones from Google and Apple will erode trust in everything
    August 18, 2024
    The most famous Indian Dishes – Insights Success
    The most famous Indian Dishes – Insights Success
    August 18, 2024
    Life on the road as a female long rides cyclist
    Life on the road as a female long rides cyclist
    August 18, 2024
    UK inflation rises to 2.2%
    UK inflation rises to 2.2%
    August 18, 2024
  • Cryptocurrency
    CryptocurrencyShow More
    Shiba Inu Price Poised For Massive 17X Explosion As SHIB Hits Prime Buy Zone
    Shiba Inu Price Poised For Massive 17X Explosion As SHIB Hits Prime Buy Zone
    April 28, 2025
    Tariff Carnage Starting to Fulfill BTC’s ‘Store of Value’ Promise
    Tariff Carnage Starting to Fulfill BTC’s ‘Store of Value’ Promise
    April 28, 2025
    Price analysis 4/9: BTC, ETH, XRP, BNB, SOL, DOGE, ADA, LEO, LINK, TON
    Price analysis 4/9: BTC, ETH, XRP, BNB, SOL, DOGE, ADA, LEO, LINK, TON
    April 28, 2025
    Bitcoin trades at ‘40% discount’ as spot BTC ETF buying soars to B in one week
    Bitcoin trades at ‘40% discount’ as spot BTC ETF buying soars to $3B in one week
    April 28, 2025
    The cost of innovation — Regulations are Web3’s greatest asset
    The cost of innovation — Regulations are Web3’s greatest asset
    April 27, 2025
  • Technology
    TechnologyShow More
    How to Improve Your Spotify Recommendations
    How to Improve Your Spotify Recommendations
    August 18, 2024
    X says it’s closing operations in Brazil
    X says it’s closing operations in Brazil
    August 18, 2024
    Supermoon set to rise: Top tips for amateur photographers | Science & Tech News
    Supermoon set to rise: Top tips for amateur photographers | Science & Tech News
    August 18, 2024
    Scientists Want to See Videos of Your Cat for a New Study
    Scientists Want to See Videos of Your Cat for a New Study
    August 18, 2024
    OpenAI’s new voice mode let me talk with my phone, not to it
    OpenAI’s new voice mode let me talk with my phone, not to it
    August 18, 2024
  • Entertainment
  • Sports News
  • People
  • Trend
Reading: The Black Phone Author Reflects On Successful Adaptation After Wildly Low Payment For Original Story
Share
Font ResizerAa

News Junction

  • World News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Trend
  • Entertainment
Search
  • Recent Headlines in Entertainment, World News, and Cryptocurrency – NewsJunction
  • World News
  • Business
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Sports News
  • People
  • Trend
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
News Junction > Blog > Entertainment > The Black Phone Author Reflects On Successful Adaptation After Wildly Low Payment For Original Story
The Black Phone Author Reflects On Successful Adaptation After Wildly Low Payment For Original Story
Entertainment

The Black Phone Author Reflects On Successful Adaptation After Wildly Low Payment For Original Story

Published January 27, 2024
Share
5 Min Read
SHARE

Contents
SummaryThe Black Phone’s Unique Origin StoryThe Black Phone

Summary

  • Joe Hill expresses gratitude to Scott Derrickson for turning his $35 short story into a successful and beloved film, proving that big budgets aren’t the only recipe for success.
  • Despite being paid a low amount for his original story, Hill’s career has continued to grow, earning multiple awards and securing adaptations of his works.
  • The success of The Black Phone highlights the untapped potential in non-established writers and short stories, showing that even an $18 million budget horror film can become a box office hit.


The Black Phone author Joe Hill reflects upon the movie adaptation’s success years after he was paid a shockingly low amount for the original story. Hill published the original short story in 2004 before becoming a well-known author. Years later, Scott Derrickson and his long-time collaborator C. Robert Cargill decided to make it into a movie. The movie follows Finney (Mason Thames), a child held captive by notorious kidnapper The Grabber (Ethan Hawke), who receives aid via a black phone from The Grabber’s previous victims. It proved a commercial success despite its humble origins and small budget.

Hill recently took to X to reflect on The Black Phone‘s success while commemorating the re-release of his story as The Black Phone Stories.

Hill expressed his gratitude to Derrickson for creating “such a scary and heartfelt film” from his story. Additionally, he revealed that when he wrote the story in 2004, he was paid just $35 for it.


The Black Phone’s Unique Origin Story

It’s surprising to learn that Hill only received $35 for The Black Phone, which went on to become a movie that broke $100 million at the box office. The film was so successful that a sequel, The Black Phone 2, is currently in development. Hill previously revealed that he initially wanted his short story to be a novel, as there was enough content to expand the story, which the film did. However, at the time, he was a failed novelist with four unpublished books, and as a result, he didn’t believe he could pull off his idea as a novel.

Hence, he sold The Black Phone to his editor for $35 because he knew that would guarantee its publication. It’s no secret in the writing industry that short stories aren’t particularly lucrative, so the amount Hill received wasn’t actually very unusual. Still, he continued working his way up with further short stories and, by 2007, published his first novel, Heart-Shaped Box. 2007 was also the year he confirmed his identity as Joe Hillström King—Stephen King’s son. Hill sold short stories for $35 just to ensure he organically built his writing career instead of capitalizing on his father’s fame.

Even before Hill’s identity became known, he had made a name for himself, having received multiple Bram Stoker Awards. His career has only continued to grow in both writing and on screen, including such adaptations as Netflix’s Locke & Key, Horns, and NOS4A2.

The Black Phone‘s success story is quite inspirational. Derrickson confirmed that he found the story before learning of Hill’s identity and was immediately intrigued by it. It’s unusual for a non-established horror writer’s work to catch a filmmaker’s eye or for a horror film with a modest $18 million budget to be a box office hit. The Black Phone’s unique origins reiterate the untapped potential in non-established writers and short stories and that big names and big budgets aren’t the only recipes to success.

Source: Joe Hill/Twitter

The Black Phone
ScreenRant logo

Based on Joe Hill’s short story of the same name, The Black Phone follows teen Finney Blake (Mason Thames) after he is abducted by a man known only as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Trapped in a basement with only a disconnected phone, Finney begins to hear from the Grabber’s previous victims, each of which gives him cryptic clues to help him fight back against his captor.

Release Date
June 24, 2022

Director
Scott Derrickson
Cast
Ethan Hawke , Mason Thames , Brady Hepner , James Ransone , Jordan Isaiah White , Jeremy Davies , Jacob Moran , Madeleine McGraw

Runtime
102 minutes

Writers
C. Robert Cargill , Scott Derrickson

Budget
$18.8 million

Studio(s)
Universal Pictures

Distributor(s)
Universal Pictures

#Black #Phone #Author #Reflects #Successful #Adaptation #Wildly #Payment #Original #Story

- Advertisement -
TAGGED:adaptationAuthorBlackoriginalpaymentPhoneReflectsStorySuccessfulWildly
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Whatsapp Whatsapp LinkedIn Email Copy Link Print
Share
What do you think?
Love0
Sad0
Happy0
Sleepy0
Angry0
Dead0
Wink0
Previous Article Mars rover data confirms ancient lake sediments on red planet Mars rover data confirms ancient lake sediments on red planet
Next Article Sabalenka overpowers Zheng to retain Australian Open crown Sabalenka overpowers Zheng to retain Australian Open crown

You Might Also Like

Lauren Phillips manages to save her radio career as her KIIS FM Melbourne show is picked up by Nova 100 after she and co-host Jase Hawkins were axed to make way for Kyle and Jackie O in Melbourne
Entertainment

Lauren Phillips manages to save her radio career as her KIIS FM Melbourne show is picked up by Nova 100 after she and co-host Jase Hawkins were axed to make way for Kyle and Jackie O in Melbourne

February 9, 2024
Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis post California beach house on Airbnb offering ‘unforgettable summer stay’ | Ents & Arts News
Entertainment

Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis post California beach house on Airbnb offering ‘unforgettable summer stay’ | Ents & Arts News

August 16, 2023
Dwayne Johnson Calls Black Adam A Casualty of WB Regime Changes
Technology

Dwayne Johnson Calls Black Adam A Casualty of WB Regime Changes

August 5, 2023
Tom Brady Jokes His “New Gig” in Retirement Involves Blackpink
Entertainment

Tom Brady Jokes His “New Gig” in Retirement Involves Blackpink

August 18, 2023

About Us

NEWS JUNCTION (NewsJunction.xyz) Your trusted destination for global news. Stay informed with our timely and accurate reporting on diverse topics, including politics, technology, science, entertainment, sports, and more. Count on us for unbiased and reliable updates at your fingertips.

Quick Link

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Contact

Top Categories

  • World News
  • Business
  • Technology
  • Entertainment
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Sports News
  • Trend
  • People

Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

    © 2023 News Junction.
    • Blog
    • Advertise
    • Contact
    Welcome Back!

    Sign in to your account

    Username or Email Address
    Password

    Lost your password?