James Ransone Cast In Scott Derrickson’s THE BLACK PHONE For Universal and Blumhouse

James Ransone has been cast in Scott Derrickson’s upcoming film for Blumhouse and Universal, THE BLACK PHONE. Derrickson and frequent collaborator C. Robert Cargill (Bermuda, Doctor Strange, Sinister) adapted the script based on Joe Hill’s short story. Derrickson, Cargill and Jason Blum, for Blumhouse, are producing the film. Universal and Blumhouse will present the Crooked Highway production. Joe Hill is an executive producer.

James Ransone has created indelible performances on the big and small screens as well as the stage, performing in a wide variety of projects that span from intimate indies to blockbuster genre films.

Ransone starred in It Chapter Two as Eddie Kasprak, one of the members of “The Losers Club,” opposite Jessica Chastain and Bill Hader, et al. His performance in the movie garnered such praise as “James Ransone is the MVP of It Chapter Two” (Entertainment Weekly) and “James Ransone is It Chapter Two’s secret weapon” (GQ). He also starred in Ti West’s In A Valley of Violence, opposite Ethan Hawke and John Travolta, and the latest installment of the Sinister franchise in which he returned as the lead, reprising his role from the original film.

Ransone co-starred also in the critically lauded, award-winning Tangerine, directed by Sean Baker, which debuted at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival. His previous film with Baker, Starlet, earned Ransone and the team the John Cassavetes Award at the 2013 Independent Spirit Awards. He has also proven to be a loyal favorite with director Spike Lee, having roles in his films Inside Man, Red Hook Summer, and Oldboy and has starred such films as Larry Clark’s Ken Park and John Waters’ A Dirty Shame.

On the TV side, Ransone appeared in Steven Soderbergh’s HBO series “Mosaic,” opposite Sharon Stone, as well as Hulu’s “The First,” opposite Sean Penn. He is perhaps best known for his work with David Simon, having roles in three of his award-winning HBO series “The Wire,” “Treme,” and “Generation Kill.”

He has also graced the New York stage, receiving critical acclaim for his work in Small Engine Repair, written by John Pollono, starring opposite James Badge Dale and Keegan Allen. James Ransone is represented by The Gersh Agency, 3 Arts Entertainment, and Morris, Yorn, Barnes, Levine, Krintzman, Rubenstein, Kohner & Gellman.