Fifteen-year-old Madeleine McGraw is headed to Canada to make the horror thriller “The Black Phone 2.” Thirteen-year-old Violet McGraw just returned from New Zealand after wrapping the tech horror film “M3GAN 2.0.”   In addition to reprising roles in sequels to movies they’ve done, both girls produced and starred in “The Curse of the Necklace,” a horror picture that hit theaters late last month and is now streaming on VOD and Tubi.  Madeleine and Violet are sisters. Some call them “the horror sisters” or “the Blumhouse sisters,” both starring in films from Blumhouse Productions, the company behind the “Insidious” franchise, the “Paranormal Activity” franchise and the new “Halloween” films. Neither sister disliked the monikers.  “We actually love it,” Madeleine said.   The two actresses/filmmakers were together in the living room of their family home, speaking about their upcoming movies, movie sequels, the horror genre and Halloween. Violet was spilling over with excitement about her experience on the second “M3GAN” film.  Violet McGraw, left, and her sister Madeleine McGraw check out a “M3GAN” record album earlier this month in their Santa Clarita home. Violet just wrapped production on the sequel to the movie “M3GAN.” Trisha Anas/The Signal “I can’t wait to see people’s reactions,” she said. “I can’t say too much, but it’s going to be really, really cool.”  Madeleine, who read lines with Violet before the shoot and who visited the set during a portion of the production, asked her sister if she thought the second film was going to be better than the first.  “I, I, I,” Violet said, clearly holding something back. “I really can’t say anything yet.”  Of course, neither sister could talk about the specifics of either project, as they’d previously signed non-disclosure agreements to keep any hints about the stories under wraps, so the movies are surprises when audiences go to see them.   “For me,” Madeleine said, “with ‘The Black Phone 2,’ everyone has such different opinions on things, so, I don’t want to be like, ‘Oh yeah, I think this one’s better’ or ‘The first one’s better.’ I think they’re both unique in their own ways. But I definitely feel like a lot more unexpected things happen in this one.”  Violet McGraw, left, and her sister Madeleine McGraw spend an afternoon together earlier this month in their Santa Clarita home. Madeleine is about to begin production on the sequel to “The Black Phone.” Trisha Anas/The Signal Asked if they’re fans of sequels in general, both sisters agreed that it depends. However, Violet was quick to remember that she loved the third and fourth Harry Potter films.   Madeleine had to think about it a little longer. Then she said, “I feel like it’s so hard to say because, watching a first movie for the first time, you can’t really beat that feeling, but — Oh wait, ‘The Hunger Games.’ I love that whole series.”  Both sisters loved the “Scream” films.   “Oh, and my dad wants to show us ‘Aliens’ so badly,” Madeleine said. “Because we just saw ‘Alien: Romulus.’ I thought it was so weird with that monster thingy.”  The girls’ mom, Jackie McGraw, who’s not really a fan of scary movies or of being scared, had discouraged her girls from watching horror movies for years. But then they did so much horror work and, of course, they wanted to see what they’d made.  Madeleine played roles in horror projects like the TV series “Outcast” (2016 to 2017), and the movies “The Black Phone” (2021) and “The Harbinger” (2022). Violet played roles in the TV series “The Haunting of Hill House” (2018), and the movies “Doctor Sleep” (2019) and “M3GAN” (2022).   Violet McGraw, left, and her sister Madeleine McGraw thumb through pages of a “M3GAN” record album earlier this month in their Santa Clarita home. Violet just wrapped production on the sequel to the movie “M3GAN.” Trisha Anas/The Signal “I am way more lenient when it comes to Maddy viewing horror movies,” the girls’ mom said. “She’s almost 16 and TikTok makes it hard to keep certain movies away from her. I do my best to research them first. There are definitely a few they will both have to wait until they are 18 to view.”   She added that she and her husband are more cautious with Violet.   “She (Violet) definitely gets more scared,” the girls’ mom said. “Although she claims to love the feeling of being scared, she usually ends up in our room after any scary movie.”  The scary movies and shows the girls made have certainly not been scary to them at all. They said watching them really just reminds them of good times. The sisters, in fact, have come to love the process of creating horror.   This last year, they accomplished a goal they’d made some time ago: They got to do a movie together. Of course, the project was a horror picture. “The Curse of the Necklace,” according to IMDb, is about an antique necklace that serves as a conduit for the tormented soul of an evil boy from long ago that puts a family in grave danger.  The movie came their way through ESX Entertainment, a production company that produced projects that starred Violet.  Violet McGraw, left, and her sister Madeleine McGraw spend an afternoon together earlier this month in their Santa Clarita home. The sisters recently produced and starred in the new horror film “The Curse of the Necklace.” Trisha Anas/The Signal “I was at a dinner with my ESX family, and I was talking with Ali Afshar, who’s a producer on ‘The Necklace,’ and he’s like, ‘We have to do a movie with your sister.’ And because we’ve been trying to do one — it just hadn’t happened yet — I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, yes, that would literally be our dream.’ And then we got to the genre, and we’re like, ‘Oh, it should be horror.’ And he was like, ‘You guys should be producers on it.’”  Madeleine added, “We were like, ‘Um, yes, please, of course.”  “It was so fun,” Violet said.  The two girls and company shot the movie for $2 million in 17 days during the summer in Atlanta. Both Madeleine and Violet said that producing was much more work than they thought, with their hands in every bit of the project from start to finish. But it was also extremely rewarding. They were pleased to say that the production relied more on practical effects than digital ones.  “Everyone kind of agreed upon that decision,” Madeleine said. “It’s harder, I guess, but you just appreciate it more. I feel like it comes across so much more real. You can really feel what’s happening in the scene.”   “And” Violet said, “you don’t have to picture it in your head.”  Their mom was surprised one day on set when, during one particular scene, both girls were calling for more blood — a lot more blood. She chuckled upon hearing that from them.  Overall, the sisters are proud of the finished film, and they hope to produce more projects together. Their mom said they’re currently taking meetings and filtering ideas.  During the little down time they’ve had recently, the girls paid a visit to Universal Studios’ Halloween Horror Nights and ran into some fans of “The Black Phone” and “M3GAN.” Both of them love that.   Last year, the theme park offered a Blumhouse maze, featuring characters from both films. This year, the girls were surprised to learn that Blumhouse was back.  “We actually got to see ourselves on the Terror Tram,” Madeleine said. “I was like, ‘Oh my god, Violet’s in it.’ And then I’m like, ‘Oh my god, I’m in it. We’re both in it.’”  Violet McGraw, left, and her sister Madeleine McGraw, stars of “M3GAN” and “The Black Phone” respectively, spend an afternoon together earlier this month in their Santa Clarita home. Trisha Anas/The Signal The Terror Tram, which is the theme park’s studio tour at Halloween time, takes guests through the world of Blumhouse horror films. Understandably, the girls were thrilled when people saw and recognized them and even asked if they’d ride rides and go through mazes with them.  “We’re like, ‘Yeah, of course,’” Madeleine said. “The true fans, they always come up and say hi to us. It’s so nice to talk to them about the movies. We got to talk to and hang out with so many fans this year. It was awesome.”  Come Halloween day, Madeleine said she’d likely be shooting “The Black Phone 2.” But she plans on dressing up anyway. She wouldn’t share any details about her costume, perhaps taking a cue from the Blumhouse playbook by holding back for the big surprise. Violet couldn’t disclose her costume, either, though she said that’s only because she has no clue about who or what she wants to be.   Asked to name their favorite horror films, Madeleine said hers was “Scream” from 1996. Violet said “It” from 2017. And their favorite costume? Madeleine said she loved dressing up as Coraline last year. Violet said her favorite costume was a tie between Wednesday Addams and M3gan.  The sisters said Halloween is quickly becoming one of their favorite times of the year. After doing so many horror movies and creating traditions like going to Universal’s Halloween Horror Nights, they both feel like the spooky season is a large part of their lives.  “I’ve also really grown attached to watching horror movies with Violet,” Madeleine said. “It’s a little thing that we do now.”  Violet agreed that it’s special to her, too, something they do to bond over.  According to IMDb, “M3GAN 2.0” is expected to hit theaters on June 27, 2025. “The Black Phone 2” is set to come out Oct. 17, 2025.   As for projects beyond those two, both Madeleine and Violet said they have other new and exciting things on the horizon. They were eager to say more. Of course, neither sister could talk about the specifics of either project. The world will just have to wait and see.  The post ‘Horror sisters’ dying to share secrets about upcoming horror sequels  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.