BTN News: Few debuts have borne so strong a stamp on the cinematic horror world as Parker Finn’s Smile which hit release in 2022. Defined by a series of eerie trailers (and one very clever marketing campaign), the movie became a breakout hit, earning money at the box office and praise from even the snobbiest of horror enthusiasts. Smile proved to be a commercial success in its limited release and won over audiences with its chilling plotline and powerful performances, all on a modest budget.
A Chilling Success Story
Smile Is about therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a young woman finds herself trying to shrug off an extremely creepy, supernatural curse materializing through the eerie grins of everyone around her. These menacing grins, however, wait just until you die and then own your body forever, weaving a very creepy history. The directorial debut for Finn and the super strong performance of Bacon in the lead role created an absolutely terrifying event and ultimately helped the film earn its title of one of the most horrifying releases of the year.
Sequel Announced: Smile 2
With how successful the original turned out to be, a sequel seemed all but guaranteed. STXfilms has announced that the return for Smile 2 will be written and directed this time around by Parker Finn, and it will have a theatrical release in October through Paramount Pictures. That anticipation among fans has just increased with the release of the first trailer for the highly-anticipated sequel.
New Plot and Cast Details
Naomi Scott plays Skye Riley, a pop phenomenon who must face the same chilling curse while on a world tour in the latest film. As Skye struggles to break out of her public image and deal with haunting visions, the oppressive burdens of the world ride down hard on her sanity. It does not (and should not be assuming it is writing a sorry excuse of a sequel, a.k.a lazy continuation of the curse smiles, cha-chang scary, fuwaaaar)
Kyle Gallner (seen above) returns came back as Joel to the franchise. Joining the cast are Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Dylan Gelula, which gives the film a relatively solid crew to help carry the dramatic story.
Trailer Released
The teaser for Smile 2 hints at a grander, scarier storyline, taking place in new locations with even more at stake. The fans of the original movie may look forward to a similar kind of spine-tingling horror which is what made Smile established as a horror brand accompanied by a new face and grin all along.
Impressed with the throngs of The Curse of The Smiling Man crowds? You can watch the trailer right here and get ready for a whole lot more scares this October. ‘Smile 2’ releases in theaters October 18th 2024.
