The movie Smile scared and excited audiences in 2022 by introducing a creepy new evil force that grins wickedly. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the story follows therapist Rose Cotter (played by Sosie Bacon) after she witnesses her patient Laura (Caitlin Stacey) die by suicide.
Before Laura ends her life, she tells Rose that she recently saw her professor commit suicide and has since been terrorized by an invisible entity. Right before Laura’s death, she becomes strangely calm and smiles in a disturbing way.
Soon, Rose begins to see people smiling at her in the same eerie way and telling her that she will die too. No one else can see these events, which leads to people questioning Rose’s sanity and mental health.
Similar to the curse in It Follows, the entity in Smile moves from one person to another after someone witnesses a suicide caused by the demon. Rose tries to figure out how long this chain of suicides has been happening, hoping to find a way to stop it.
However, she eventually falls into the demon’s trap and passes the curse on to her ex-boyfriend Joel (Kyle Gallner). Now, the much-anticipated sequel has a trailer and a release date. Keep reading to learn more about Smile 2.
When Is the Release Date for ‘Smile 2’?
Smile 2 will be released in theaters on October 18, 2024, and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The first movie was very successful in theaters, and Smile 2 will likely stay in theaters for a while before it becomes available for streaming on Paramount+.
On the same day, Smile 2 will open alongside Sean Baker’s Anora, which won the Palme d’Or. However, the horror sequel is released between two other big movies: the slasher sequel Terrifier 3, which comes out the week before, and Venom: The Last Dance, a superhero sequel, which comes out the week after.
Watch the Trailer for ‘Smile 2’
Before the official trailer was released on June 18, 2024, a viral marketing campaign teased the film. A billboard on Sunset Boulevard showed the lower half of Skye Riley’s face with the message “Skye is limitless,” hinting at her upcoming album release.
At the same time, an Instagram account called @SkyeRileyNation became active, promoting her single, “Blood on White Satin,” which was supposedly set for release on June 18, the same day the Smile 2 trailer was released.
The second trailer for Smile 2 was released on September 13, 2024, by Paramount Pictures. The trailer starts with Skye witnessing her former classmate Lewis’s suicide and telling a friend that Lewis smiled at her while killing himself.
Skye, a famous singer, appears on a talk show while on a world tour, but she tells her manager that something strange is following her. Skye meets a man who informs her that she is cursed by a smiling entity. The man traces multiple deaths back to her and explains that the only way to stop the curse is by killing her.
The trailer then shows violent scenes from the movie and ends with Skye looking at herself in a mirror while Lewis stands behind her, forcing her to smile.
Who Stars in ‘Smile 2’?
Kyle Gallner will return as Joel, but since his character was cursed at the end of the first movie, his appearance in Smile 2 may be short-lived. Naomi Scott, who played Princess Jasmine in Aladdin, will play Skye Riley, a famous pop star cursed by the entity after seeing her friend Lewis die by suicide.
Naomi Scott is also involved in other projects, like Distant, Eternal Return, and Wizards! Lukas Gage, who recently appeared in The White Lotus, Fargo, and Road House, plays Lewis.
Rosemarie DeWitt will also appear in an unknown role. She is best known for her role in Rachel Gets Married and is also a key character in the new season of The Boys. Peter Jacobson (House) will portray a character named Morris.
Other cast members include Dylan Gelula (Dream Scenario), Raúl Castillo (Looking), Miles Gutierrez-Riley (The Wilds), and Ray Nicholson (Promising Young Woman), though their roles are not yet revealed.
The second trailer also revealed that Drew Barrymore will make a cameo in the movie as herself. Skye appears as a guest on The Drew Barrymore Show during the film.
What Is ‘Smile 2’ About?
Smile 2 picks up after the events of the first film, although it is unclear how much time has passed. Since the entity tends to claim its victims within a week or so, the sequel most likely occurs soon after the first movie’s ending. Kyle Gallner returns as Joel, and if more time has passed, he could be Skye’s only chance to survive the monster.
Skye becomes cursed after her friend Lewis runs into her apartment screaming about something she cannot see. He then goes quiet, grins at her menacingly, and ends his life in front of her. Skye, now targeted by the entity, seeks help from a man named Morris. It is uncertain what relationship she has with Morris, but she trusts him enough to share her disturbing experiences.
A unique aspect of Smile 2 is that Skye is a massively famous pop star, similar to Taylor Swift, with a huge fan following. As she continues her world tour, her fame adds to her paranoia as anyone in the crowd could be the entity. If the entity kills her on stage in front of thousands of people, it’s unclear who its next victim will be.
Paramount Pictures describes the movie as follows: “About to start a world tour, pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins facing terrifying and unexplained events. Overcome by both fear and the pressure of fame, Skye must confront her dark past to take back control of her life.”
Who Is Making ‘Smile 2’?
Parker Finn, who wrote and directed the first Smile movie, returns to direct Smile 2. His previous work includes two short films, one of which (Laura Hasn’t Slept) inspired the original Smile film.
Despite being relatively new to feature films, Smile was a huge success, making about $101 million in net profit and grossing $217.4 million worldwide.
Smile 2 is co-produced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, and Robert Salerno, who also worked on the first film and several others through Paramount Players and Temple Hill Entertainment. Charlie Sarroff also returns as the cinematographer for the sequel.
When and Where Did ‘Smile 2’ Film?
Smile 2 was filmed in the Hudson Valley area of New York from January to March 2024. Locations included New York City, Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls, and Albany. The original Smile movie was mostly filmed in New Jersey and was completed in just over a month.
