Parker Finn‘s “Smile” was an unexpected runaway success when it hit theaters in 2022, grossing over $200 million worldwide on a $17 million budget. It was the kind of event that’s only possible in the horror genre, where a clever premise — in this case, people becoming infected with murderous impulses and creepy grins after watching someone else die in front of them — and strong word of mouth can drive a film to massive success without major stars involved.
It wasn’t long before a sequel was announced, with first time filmmaker Parker Finn returning to the director’s chair. Now, Paramount has unveiled the first trailer for “Smile 2,” which is set to hit theaters on October 18.
The official synopsis reads: “About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.”
Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Ray Nicholson, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, and Dylan Gelula co-star.
The film is produced by writer/director Finn, Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, and Robert Salerno.
Many horror fans viewed “Smile” as a refreshing change of pace from a genre that had increasingly relied on heavy stories and slow pacing. During a 2022 interview with IndieWire, Finn explained that he sought to walk the line by embracing the inherent silliness of the horror genre without wading into self-satire through techniques like embracing old fashioned jump scares.
“I wanted to make a film that was really craft-focused, that was creating an experience that was quite unique, that was also a character-driven story exploring the human condition, but was also going to make an audience jump out of their seat and scream a lot,” Finn said. “Some people will never love a jump scare, but I love a good jump scare. I wanted to infuse the film with jump scares that felt earned and were designed in a way that would keep an audience on their toes, sort of ramping up and changing how it’s scaring you.”
The first “Smile” received largely positive reviews, with IndieWire writing that “Overall, ‘Smile’ delivers a captivating and claustrophobic mental hellscape that will cause one to both grimace and grin.’
“Smile 2” opens in theaters on October 18. Watch the teaser below.
