Had things gone as initially planned, Parker Finn’s Smile may have been lost in the seemingly endless stream of original films that premiere regularly on the wide variety of streaming services. The movie was originally set for release on Paramount+, but strong responses from test screenings made the studio think twice about distribution strategy. After earning a nice heap of buzz at Fantastic Fest 2022, it played on the big screen nationwide about a week later, and it ended up becoming one of the biggest box office surprises of the year.
About a month after the movie’s wide release, Parker Finn suggested that there were “unexplored” areas in Smile that could be further investigated with a sequel (despite his intention to make the film be self-contained)… and now Smile 2 is in the works and getting ready to serve up more big scares. When can we expect to see the upcoming horror movie, who is making it, who will star in it, and what will it be about? We have put together this feature to address all of those questions and more.
Smile 2 Will Be In Theaters In October 2024
The celebration of spooky season annually finds movie-goers primed to get scared out of their skin, and that was certainly something that Smile took advantage of with its release in late September 2022. As one would expect, Paramount isn’t making the decision to screw up this part of the success formula for the sequel, and in fact, the movie has a release date that is even closer to Halloween than its predecessor.
It was announced in the fall of 2023 that Smile 2 is set for release on October 18, 2024. At present, there are no other movies set to premiere that same weekend, but the list of other genre treats set to come out within a month of the feature include Saw XI, Terrifier 3, and Wolf Man. It’s additionally worth noting that it is coming out in the window between Joker: Folie á Deux (October 4) and Venom 3 (November 8).
Naomi Scott, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner And More Have Been Cast In Smile 2
The ending of Smile is a tragic one for Sosie Bacon’s Rose Cotter, who succumbs to being possessed and ends up self-immolating, so it’s not terribly surprising that Smile 2 will not feature Bacon in the lead role (perhaps some kind of weird cameo is on the table?). Instead, the sequel seems to have a fresh story to tell with a new crop of characters, and this time around, it will be Naomi Scott playing the protagonist – presumably an individual who ends up being tormented by the stares and smiles of strangers.
The news about Scott landing the lead in Smile 2 came from Deadline in December 2023, and it was reported that it was a competitive casting process. The actress doesn’t have much history in the horror genre, but she certainly isn’t a stranger to high profile roles. She is probably best known for playing Princess Jasmine in the 2019 live-action remake of Disney’s Aladdin, but she also played Kimberly/The Pink Ranger in 2017’s Power Rangers and was a member of the titular group alongside Kristen Stewart and Ella Balinska in 2019’s Charlie’s Angels.
Nothing is known at present about the character whom Naomi Scott will portray in Smile 2, and the same is true for the role set to be played by Lukas Gage, who was announced to be a part of the cast in January 2024. Gage is best known for his work on the small screen, having worked on shows including Euphoria, The White Lotus, You, and Fargo, but he does have some features on his resume, including the acclaimed 2023 thriller How To Blow Up A Pipeline.
It has also been revealed that the Smile 2 cast will include Rosemarie DeWitt – the news of the casting coming from The Wrap just a day after Gage signed on. DeWitt has had an eclectic career, starring in films from a wide assortment of genres, but she does have a history in horror, having been in the Poltergeist remake and an episode of the Netflix series Black Mirror (namely Season 4’s “Arkangel”).
As far as actors from the original Smile cast go, the only star we know is going to return for the sequel is Kyle Gallner… though it’s hard to imagine that his role will be massive. Fans will remember that Joel (the friendly police detective Gallner plays) is stricken with the curse when he witnesses the death of Rose at the end of the first movie, so the biggest question surrounding his role in Smile 2 is “who will he pass the curse on to next?”
Parker Finn Will Be Back As Both Writer And Director
There’s a substantial history of horror directors who have made hit original films and then got replaced at the helm of the sequels, but Smile 2 will not be one of those cases. Parker Finn has signed a deal to return for the sequel.
The first Smile was based on a 2020 short film that Finn wrote and directed called Laura Hasn’t Slept, and Paramount Pictures made a deal with him to adapt it as a feature. He ended up making his directorial debut with a budget of just $17 million, and the movie ended up grossing over $200 million worldwide.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Parker Finn has launched a production company called Bad Feeling, and he will be making Smile 2 as his second feature.
Smile Is Available To Stream With Both Paramount+ And Amazon Prime Subscriptions
The wait is now on to see Smile 2 in theaters, but if you are foggy on some details from the original or simply want to re-experience the terror, it is exceptionally easy to do so. In a fun, full-circle-esque development, Smile is available to stream if you have a Paramount+ subscription, though that platform is not its exclusive home; the movie is also available if you have an Amazon Prime subscription.
If streaming isn’t your thing, there are still plenty of options available to watch online, as you can rent or purchase Smile digitally via Amazon, Vudu, Apple TV, and Google Play. Physical media fans can purchase the film on 4K UHD or Blu-ray.
We’ll keep updating this feature as more information about Smile 2 becomes available, so stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for the latest news about this exciting project.
