Smile (franchise)

The ''Smile'' film series consists of American psychological supernatural horror installments, including a short, a theatrical feature film, and its feature-length sequel. Based on characters and an original story by Parker Finn, the filmmaker explores elements of paranoia, psychological trauma, and fear in elements of storytelling. The plot of the series follows a number of characters who are tormented by a wicked entity that follows them, unceasingly determined to be the cause of their death. This force, termed by Finn as "the Monstrosity", presents itself with the identifying characteristic of a malevolent smile while it takes the form of the people that the characters encounter. While the characters frantically try to save themselves from the leering presence of death, they experience visions of a frightening nature.

The original short which debuted in the United States at the 2020 SXSW Film Festival after a previous international festival run, received critical acclaim. Following its warm reception, Paramount Pictures secured rights to a feature film adaptation, which was later revealed to be a continuation of the short. Finn was hired to again serve as writer and director. The theatrical 2022 feature film was similarly met with praise from critics, and was a box office success. Finn signed a first-look contractual deal with Paramount, before being hired for the 2024 sequel.
Caitlin Stasey and Kyle Gallner are the only actors to have appeared in more than one film.

Films

''Smile'' (2022)

Dr. Rose Cotter has spent twenty years overcoming the abusive challenges of her childhood. Now in her profession as a psychiatrist, she successfully assists her patients with a compassionate role in their lives. Upon meeting her newest patient named Laura Weaver, she is faced with a challenging case. As the terrified patient describes the distressing experiences she has endured including an extended lack of sleep convinced that she will be overcome if she rests. Laura explains that she has been followed by an evil entity ever since she witnessed her college professor bludgeon himself to death, and after stating that the entity reveals itself in the form of an unnatural smile on the faces of the people around her, panics as she tells the therapist that the specter is in the room with them. Despite the compassionate attempts of Rose to bring the patient to the realization that these occurrences are delusions, Rose is distraught as this ultimately fails when the patient slits her own throat.

After witnessing the horrific events of the patient's suicide, Rose once again struggles with the mental health struggles from her youth. She soon begins to question her diagnosis of the deceased patient however, when she disturbingly realizes that various people around her seem to mindlessly grin. Conducting research of her own, Rose is surprised to discover that a series of terrible suicidal deaths have occurred after describing similar stories as Laura had. Determined to find the source of the deathly grin, Rose races against time as she too begins to have grim experiences of her own.

''Smile 2'' (2024)

After the financial and critical successes of the first film, in various interviews between November and December 2023, writer/director Parker Finn stated that he had intentionally left portions of the first movie ambiguous with unresolved plotlines with the hope that he could explore these details in a future sequel.

Following the release of ''Smile'', from November through December 2022 during interviews writer/director Parker Finn stated that he had intentionally left portions of the first movie ambiguous, with various plotlines unresolved while expressing interest in exploring those details in a potential sequel film. The filmmaker stated that while he intends that additional installments further explore the backstory of the entity, he will keep its mysterious nature intact. The filmmaker further stated that a follow-up movie would be notably different from the first, saying: "there is still a lot of interesting stuff to explore in the world of ''Smile''. ...I'd want to make sure that there's a new, exciting, fresh way into it that the audience isn't anticipating. I also want to find some new ways to scare them and unnerve them."

In March 2023, Finn signed a first-look contract with Paramount Pictures with the studio wanting to develop additional horror projects with the filmmaker. The following month at CinemaCon 2023, Paramount officially announced that a sequel has been green-lit and is in pre-production, with Parker Finn once again serving as writer/director. By December of the same year, Naomi Scott was announced to be the star the movie. In January 2024, Lukas Gage joined the cast as co-star, while Kyle Gallner was confirmed to be reprising his role as Joel from the first movie; Rosemarie DeWitt will appear in the supporting cast.

Principal photography commenced in New York beginning January 2024 and is expected to complete in March of the same year. In June 2024, the first trailer debuted, following the studio's initial marketing for a fictional pop star character from the movie, with the official title confirmed to be ''Smile 2''. The film was released on October 18, 2024.

''Smile 3'' (TBA)

In September 2024, writer/director Parker Finn confirmed plans to continue the series with a third film; stating: "...we've maybe only scooped a single glass of water out of the ocean. ...I think it's really fun to imagine a lineage of ''Smile'' movies where each one becomes more off the rails than the previous one." In December, it was reported that ''Smile 3'' was in the works and was set to film in 2025.

Short film

Laura Weaver visits her therapist, and is surprised to find that her usual doctor is out of town. Despite some reservations, she opts to describe a series of recurring horrific dreams she has been experiencing at night that are seeming to also happen during her waking hours, to the therapist who is covering at the practice. Elaborating that the consistent aspect of these occurrences is a man who seems to be following her and creepily grins each time she sees him. As the doctor attempts to reason with her that the dreams are a result of her heightened levels of stress and her active imagination, in a horrified realization Laura recognizes that the doctor is in fact the entity that has been reappearing throughout her dreams, as he smiles menacingly back at her.

Main cast

Additional crew and production details

Reception

Box office and financial performance

Critical and public response

In other media

The Monstrosity features as an antagonist during "The Haunting" event, within the online content of video game '' Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III''.

References

{{Parker Finn

American monster movies
American psychological horror films
American supernatural horror films
Demons in film
Films about curses
Films about mind control
Films about spirit possession
Horror film series
Temple Hill Entertainment films