Smile 2

Six days after Rose Cotter's death,{{efn|As depicted in Smile (2022)}} the now-cursed Joel attempts to pass the Smile Entity on by killing one murderous criminal in front of another. He accidentally kills the witness in a shootout, and drug dealer Lewis Fregoli, whom Joel had not previously noticed, inherits the curse as a bystander. Joel tries to flee, but is run over and killed by a truck.

Meanwhile, New York–based pop star Skye Riley prepares for her comeback tour following a public struggle with substance abuse and a car crash that killed her actor boyfriend, Paul Hudson. Despite constant supervision from her mother/manager Elizabeth and their assistant Joshua, Skye sneaks out to buy Vicodin from Lewis, her high school friend, after injuring her back in rehearsals. At his apartment, Skye witnesses Lewis screaming and panicking before collapsing in an apparent seizure. He rises, smiling, and fatally smashes his face in with a barbell plate. Afraid of being found in a room full of drugs, Skye leaves without alerting anyone.

Now cursed herself, Skye begins to experience deranged hallucinations of people smiling at her, causing her mental health to rapidly deteriorate. Needing support, she reconciles with her estranged friend Gemma. Skye receives a text from an unknown number, claiming to know she was at Lewis's apartment and that she is in danger. While speaking at a fundraiser hosted by music executive Darius, Skye hallucinates the teleprompter stalling and goes on an impromptu tirade about how success has not improved her life. She sees a smiling Paul approaching from the audience and panics, accidentally injuring the event's elderly host.

Skye meets Morris, the man who texted her, in a bar. He tells her he has been tracking the Entity ever since it killed his brother. He explains that the curse passes to anyone who witnesses a victim's death. Theorizing that the Entity is parasitic and could die without a host, he suggests stopping Skye's heart and then resuscitating her to break the curse, but she refuses and leaves after being recognized by bargoers. Following a lengthy mental breakdown in her apartment, Skye is cornered by the Entity, which takes the form of her backup dancers. Skye tries to escape but is violently thrown around the apartment and pinned down as a giant arm forces its way into her throat, causing her to black out.

A flashback reveals that Skye caused Paul's death by intentionally crashing the car during a drug-induced argument. Later, Skye awakens at a retreat and argues with Elizabeth over the upcoming tour. Suddenly, Elizabeth smiles, smashes a mirror, and fatally stabs herself with a shard. Skye attempts to leave but, to her horror, realizes that it was she who stabbed Elizabeth. Skye escapes the retreat and reunites with Gemma, stealing a car to meet Morris. She receives a call from the real Gemma and realizes that the "Gemma" who is in the vehicle with her, and who she has been with all week, is the Entity. After regaining control of the car, Skye meets Morris at an abandoned Pizza Hut, where he plans to use the walk-in freezer to prevent brain damage when stopping her heart. Morris temporarily leaves and the Entity appears as Skye's former self from the car wreck. After a struggle, she fights it off and injects herself with the syringe meant to stop her heart. Unfazed, the Entity mockingly affirms that Skye is not in control.

Skye then finds herself on stage for a performance at Herald Square Garden.{{efn|A fictional version of Madison Square Garden}} She sees Joshua, Darius and a still-alive Elizabeth watching from the audience, and realizes that the entire day has been an illusion. The Entity appears as Skye's current self before tearing its stomach open to reveal its true form: a giant, bloody, skinless bipedal creature with multiple smiling mouths nested within one another. Skye screams and falls into a trance, before the Entity rips Skye's mouth apart, preparing to crawl inside; to the crowd, it appears that Skye has collapsed and is choking. A possessed Skye stands up, smiling, and fatally stabs herself in the eye with her microphone in front of thousands of horrified spectators.

• Naomi Scott as Skye Riley, a famous pop music recording artist
• Rosemarie DeWitt as Elizabeth Riley, Skye's mother and manager
• Lukas Gage as Lewis, a drug dealer and Skye's former classmate
• Miles Gutierrez-Riley as Joshua, Elizabeth and Skye's assistant
• Peter Jacobson as Morris, a nurse who tracked the Smile Entity's actions
• Ray Nicholson as Paul Hudson, a deceased actor and Skye's former boyfriend
• Dylan Gelula as Gemma, Skye's estranged best friend
• Raúl Castillo as Darius, the head of Skye's record company
• Kyle Gallner as Joel, a police officer who previously was cursed by the Smile Entity

Additionally, Drew Barrymore appears as herself, interviewing Skye on her talk show, while director Parker Finn himself cameos as a photographer. The likeness of Sosie Bacon as Rose Cotter appears via a hallucination to Joel. Trevor Newlin appears as the Smile Entity.{{cite web | url=https://screenrant.com/smile-2-rose-cameo-death-ending-darker/ | title=Smile 2's Rose Cameo Makes the Original Movie's Ending Even Darker | website=Screen Rant | date=October 28, 2024 }}

Smile writer and director Parker Finn intentionally left portions of the first film ambiguous, with various plotlines unresolved, to create the opportunity to explore those details in a sequel.{{cite web |last=Davids |first=Brian |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/smile-2-parker-finn-sequel-ideas-1235278874/ |title=How Parker Finn's Smile Went From Streaming to Theatrical in a Single Night |date=December 9, 2022 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |accessdate=December 9, 2022 |archive-date=December 9, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221209201838/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/smile-2-parker-finn-sequel-ideas-1235278874/ |url-status=live }} He noted that while additional installments may explore the backstory of the entity, he would like to keep its mysterious nature intact, adding that a follow-up film would be notably different from the first as he believed "there is still a lot of interesting stuff to explore in the world of Smile. ...{{Nbsp}}I'd want to make sure that there's a new, exciting, fresh way into it that the audience isn't anticipating."{{cite web|url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/smile-director-ending-leaves-room-for-sequel/|work=Den of Geek|title=Smile Director: Ending 'Purposefully' Leaves Room for Sequel|first=Don|last=Kaye|date=December 2, 2022|accessdate=February 26, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227015250/https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/smile-director-ending-leaves-room-for-sequel/|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.joblo.com/smile-interviews-parker-finn-writer-director/|work=JoBlo|title=Smile Interview: Parker Finn (writer/director)|author=Nichols, Tyler|date=November 27, 2022|accessdate=February 26, 2023|archive-date=February 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230227015248/https://www.joblo.com/smile-interviews-parker-finn-writer-director/|url-status=live}} In March 2023, following the commercial success of Smile, Finn signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures to develop additional horror projects.{{cite web |last1=Kit |first1=Borys |title=Smile Filmmaker Parker Finn Signs First-Look Deal With Paramount (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/parker-finn-smile-first-look-deal-paramount-1235353345/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=September 22, 2023 |date=March 15, 2023 |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922220814/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/parker-finn-smile-first-look-deal-paramount-1235353345/ |url-status=live }} The following month at 2023 CinemaCon, Paramount announced that a sequel to Smile had been green-lit and was in pre-production, with Finn returning as writer and director.{{cite web |last=Peralta |first=Diego |title=Smile Sequel in the Works at Paramount |url=https://collider.com/smile-movie-sequel/ |website=Collider |date=April 27, 2023 |access-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922220739/https://collider.com/smile-movie-sequel/ |url-status=live }}

In October 2024, Finn described the film as "an exploration of the downfall of this pop star who's unable to overcome the things that have been put upon her." He added, "What I love about the ending of this film is that I wanted to create this meta-feeling moment, where the audience in the arena is staring through the screen at the audience in the movie theater. I wanted to raise the question: Did we do this to Skye? By us coming back for a Smile 2, have we done this to her? It's all intriguing to me, this idea of 'are we complicit in this?'"{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/smile-2-twist-ending-explained-third-film-potential-8730648|title=Smile 2 ending explained: What that horrifying twist could mean for a potential third film|date=October 19, 2024|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|last=Nolfi|first=Joey}}

In December 2023, Naomi Scott was cast in a leading role,{{Cite web |last=Kroll |first=Justin |date=2023-12-13 |title=Naomi Scott To Star In Next Installment In Paramount's Smile Franchise |url=https://deadline.com/2023/12/naomi-scott-smile-sequel-1235666829/ |access-date=2023-12-13 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=December 13, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231213231314/https://deadline.com/2023/12/naomi-scott-smile-sequel-1235666829/ |url-status=live }} which she stated was inspired by Lady Gaga in the early 2010s as well as Britney Spears.{{cite web |url=https://www.etonline.com/media/videos/smile-2-naomi-scott-says-her-pop-star-character-is-similar-to-lady-gaga-exclusive |title=Smile 2: Naomi Scott Says Her Pop Star Character Is Similar to Lady Gaga (Exclusive) |date=October 14, 2024 |access-date=October 20, 2024 |website=Entertainment Tonight}} In early 2024, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt, Dylan Gelula, Raúl Castillo and Miles Gutierrez-Riley joined the cast.{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2024-01-09 |title=Lukas Gage Boards Smile Sequel |url=https://deadline.com/2024/01/smile-sequel-casts-lukas-gage-paramount-1235702145/ |access-date=2024-01-09 |website=Deadline Hollywood |archive-date=January 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240109235432/https://deadline.com/2024/01/smile-sequel-casts-lukas-gage-paramount-1235702145/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Grobar |first=Matt |date=2024-02-12 |title=Smile Sequel Adds Dylan Gelula To Cast |url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/smile-sequel-adds-dylan-gelula-1235823168/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/02/raul-castillo-miles-gutierrez-riley-cast-smile-2-1235825677/|title=Raúl Castillo & Miles Gutierrez-Riley Round Out Casting For Smile Sequel From Paramount|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Rosy|last=Cordero|date=February 14, 2024|access-date=February 14, 2024|archive-date=February 14, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240214184325/https://deadline.com/2024/02/raul-castillo-miles-gutierrez-riley-cast-smile-2-1235825677/|url-status=live}} Kyle Gallner reprised his role as Joel from the first film.{{Cite web |last=Gonzalez |first=Umberto |date=2024-01-11 |title=Rosemarie DeWitt and Kyle Gallner Round Out Untitled Smile Sequel Cast Exclusive |url=https://www.thewrap.com/rosemarie-dewitt-and-kyle-gallner-round-out-untitled-smile-sequel-cast-exclusive/ |access-date=2024-01-11 |website=TheWrap|archive-date=January 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111185257/https://www.thewrap.com/rosemarie-dewitt-and-kyle-gallner-round-out-untitled-smile-sequel-cast-exclusive/ |url-status=live }} In September 2024, it was revealed Drew Barrymore would appear as herself in the film.{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3828791/smile-2-open-wide-and-watch-the-official-trailer-for-paramounts-horror-sequel/|title=Smile 2 – Open Wide and Watch the Official Trailer for Paramount's Horror Sequel|website=Bloody Disgusting|first=John|last=Squires|date=September 3, 2024|access-date=September 3, 2024|archive-date=September 3, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903143238/https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3828791/smile-2-open-wide-and-watch-the-official-trailer-for-paramounts-horror-sequel/|url-status=live}} The casting of Ray Nicholson was an homage to his father Jack Nicholson's role as Jack Torrance in The Shining (1980).{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/smile-2-jack-nicholson-son-ray-shining-references-8730568|title=Smile 2 director cast Jack Nicholson's son in homage to The Shining: 'Looks exactly like Jack'|date=October 20, 2024|first=Joey|last=Nolfi|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=October 20, 2024}} Principal photography took place from January to March 2024 throughout the Hudson Valley in New York, with primary locations in Newburgh, Poughkeepsie, Wappingers Falls, Albany, and New York City.{{Cite web |author=Boris |date=2024-01-24 |title=Hollywood Film Crew Takes Over Newburgh Brewing Company Taproom |url=https://wpdh.com/smile-2-filming-newburgh-new-york/ |access-date=2024-02-06 |website=WPDH |archive-date=January 31, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240131041241/https://wpdh.com/smile-2-filming-newburgh-new-york/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |last=Hermanns |first=Grant |date=2024-03-09 |title=Smile 2 Gets Surprising Filming Update From New Horror Movie Star |url=https://screenrant.com/smile-2-filming-update-lukas-gage/ |access-date=2024-03-12 |website=Screen Rant |archive-date=March 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240323024414/https://screenrant.com/smile-2-filming-update-lukas-gage/ |url-status=live }} Returning Smile crew members included cinematographer Charlie Sarroff, editor Elliot Greenberg, and composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer.{{cite web|url=https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/movies/review-bigger-gorier-smile-2-one-of-wildest-horror-rides-of-the-year/|title=Review: Bigger, gorier Smile 2 one of wildest horror rides of the year|date=October 17, 2024|first=Katie|last=Walsh|website=The Seattle Times|access-date=October 20, 2024}}{{cite web |title=Cristobal Tapia de Veer Scoring Parker Finn's Smile 2 |website=Film Music Reporter |date=September 3, 2024 |url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2024/09/03/cristobal-tapia-de-veer-scoring-parker-finns-smile-2/ |access-date=16 October 2024 |archive-date=September 3, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240903232730/https://filmmusicreporter.com/2024/09/03/cristobal-tapia-de-veer-scoring-parker-finns-smile-2/ |url-status=live }} The film's budget was $28{{nbsp}}million.

{{Infobox album

| name = Smile 2: The Skye Riley EP

| type = EP

| longtype = soundtrack

| artist = Skye Riley

| cover = TheSkyeRileyEP.jpg

| released = October 11, 2024

| length = 17:58

| label = Interscope

| producer = Idarose

| prev_title = Promises

| prev_year = 2016

| chronology = Naomi Scott

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Smile 2: The Skye Riley EP

| type = ep

| single1 = Blood on White Satin

| single1date = June 18, 2024

| single2 = Grieved You

| single2date = September 13, 2024

}}

}}

Smile 2: The Skye Riley EP is the third extended play (EP) by English actress and singer Naomi Scott, which acts as the soundtrack album for Smile 2, and the songs were performed by her character Skye Riley. It was released through Interscope Records on October 11, 2024.{{Cite web |title=Smile 2: The Skye Riley EP - EP by Skye Riley & Naomi Scott |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/smile-2-the-skye-riley-ep-ep/1770162310 |access-date=October 11, 2024 |via=Apple Music}}

On June 8, 2024, the @SkyeRileyNation Instagram account began teasing a new era of a popstar named Skye Riley.{{Cite web |date=2024-06-18 |title=First Teaser Trailer for SMILE 2 Reveals Naomi Scott's Popstar Character Skye Riley |url=https://geektyrant.com/news/first-teaser-trailer-for-smile-2-reveals-naomi-scotts-popstar-character-skye-riley |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=GeekTyrant |language=en-US}} On June 13, Bloody Disgusting spotted promotional billboards promoting the artist and her new music.{{Cite web |last=Squires |first=John |date=2024-06-13 |title=Viral Marketing Campaign for Smile 2 Already Underway? |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3816178/viral-marketing-campaign-for-smile-2-already-underway/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |website=Bloody Disgusting! |language=en-US |archive-date=June 28, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240628231157/https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3816178/viral-marketing-campaign-for-smile-2-already-underway/ |url-status=live }} On June 18, a song titled "Blood on White Satin" was released through Interscope Records and was featured in the first trailer of the film.{{Cite magazine |last=Zemler |first=Emily |date=2024-06-18 |title=Naomi Scott Is a Pop Star Pursued by Evil in Smile 2 Trailer |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/naomi-scott-smile-2-trailer-1235041663/ |access-date=2024-09-02 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US |archive-date=September 2, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240902190033/https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-news/naomi-scott-smile-2-trailer-1235041663/ |url-status=live }} The film was promoted with an audience member at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards.{{cite web |last1=Drum |first1=Nicole |title=Smile 2 Viral Marketing Kicks Off in The Most Appropriate Place Possible |url=https://comicbook.com/horror/news/smile-2-viral-marketing-kicks-off-mtv-vmas/ |website=ComicBook.com |access-date=16 October 2024 |date=13 September 2024 |archive-date=October 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241001015646/https://comicbook.com/horror/news/smile-2-viral-marketing-kicks-off-mtv-vmas/ |url-status=live }} The second single, "Grieved You", was released on September 13.{{Cite web |title=Home |url=https://www.skyerileymusic.com/ |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=Skye Riley |language=en-US |archive-date=August 30, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240830234039/https://www.skyerileymusic.com/ |url-status=live }}

{{Track listing

| headline = Smile 2: The Skye Riley EP track listing

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| total_length = 17:58

| title1 = Grieved You

| length1 = 2:40

| writer1 = {{hlist|Tate McRae|Roy Lenzo|Amy Allen|Denzel Baptiste|David Biral}}

| extra1 = Take a Daytrip

| title2 = New Brain

| length2 = 3:05

| writer2 = {{hlist|Alexis Kesselman|Paul Bogum|Keven Wolfsohn}}

| extra2 = Idarose

| title3 = Just My Name

| length3 = 3:32

| writer3 = {{hlist|Naomi Scott|Kesselman}}

| extra3 = Idarose

| title4 = Blood on White Satin

| length4 = 2:43

| writer4 = Kesselman

| extra4 = Idarose

| title5 = Death of Me

| length5 = 2:46

| writer5 = {{hlist|Scott|Kesselman}}

| extra5 = Idarose

| title6 = Just My Name

| note6 = piano version

| length6 = 3:15

| writer6 = {{hlist|Scott|Kesselman}}

| extra6 = Idarose

}}{{Clear}}

{{Infobox album

| name = Smile 2 (Music from the Motion Picture)

| type = film

| artist = Cristobal Tapia de Veer

| cover =

| alt =

| released = {{start date|2024|10|25}}

| recorded =

| venue =

| studio =

| genre =

| length = 53:58

| label = Lakeshore

| producer = Cristobal Tapia de Veer

| prev_title = The White Lotus season 2#Music

| prev_year = 2022

| next_title = Babygirl (Original Soundtrack)

| next_year = 2024

| misc = {{Singles

| name = Smile 2 (Music from the Motion Picture)

| type = film

| single1 = Smilers

| single1date = October 24, 2024

}}

}}

The score for Smile 2 was composed by Cristobal Tapia de Veer, who returned after scoring the first film. It was released on October 25, 2024, through Lakeshore Records, with "Smilers" being released a day earlier through ComingSoon.net.{{Cite web|url=https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/1869128-smile-2-soundtrack-track-exclusive|title=Listen to an Exclusive Track From the Smile 2 Soundtrack by Cristobal Tapia de Veer|date=October 24, 2024|first=Tyler|last=Treese|work=ComingSoon.net|access-date=December 25, 2024}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Smile 2 (Music from the Motion Picture) track listing

| all_writing = Cristobal Tapia de Veer.

| title1 = Hollowed Out

| length1 = 4:04

| title2 = Smile

| length2 = 3:40

| title3 = Life Sober

| length3 = 1:06

| title4 = Scars

| length4 = 0:51

| title5 = OD'ing

| length5 = 2:39

| title6 = Deluxe

| length6 = 1:19

| title7 = Photoshoot

| length7 = 1:05

| title8 = Cheese

| length8 = 3:05

| title9 = Man

| length9 = 2:41

| title10 = Not Your Fault

| length10 = 0:32

| title11 = Words of Wisdom

| length11 = 0:35

| title12 = What Did You Say?

| length12 = 0:40

| title13 = Prepare

| length13 = 1:02

| title14 = Vanity Room

| length14 = 0:38

| title15 = A Woman Who Keeps Her Word

| length15 = 0:47

| title16 = Phone Screen

| length16 = 1:44

| title17 = Anxiety

| length17 = 1:22

| title18 = Smilers

| length18 = 3:27

| title19 = Inside Your Head

| length19 = 2:46

| title20 = Escape

| length20 = 6:27

| title21 = Drive

| length21 = 1:00

| title22 = Redemption

| length22 = 1:32

| title23 = Break a Leg

| length23 = 2:45

| title24 = Showtime

| length24 = 5:01

| title25 = Smile End Credits Bonus

| length25 = 2:58

}}

Smile 2 was released in the United States by Paramount Pictures on October 18, 2024.{{cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |title=Smile 2 Sets Release Date, One Love Moves |url=https://deadline.com/2023/09/smile-2-one-love-theatrical-release-dates-1235554012/ |website=Deadline Hollywood |date=September 22, 2023 |access-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-date=September 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230922204944/https://deadline.com/2023/09/smile-2-one-love-theatrical-release-dates-1235554012/ |url-status=live}} It was released on premium video on demand (PVOD) on November 19, 2024, and on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, 4K Ultra HD SteelBook and DVD on January 21, 2025.{{cite magazine |last=Lammers |first=Tim |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/timlammers/2024/11/16/horror-hit-smile-2-debuts-on-digital-streaming-this-week/ |title=Horror Hit 'Smile 2' Debuts On Digital Streaming This Week |magazine=Forbes |date=November 16, 2024 |access-date=November 21, 2024}}{{cite web |last=Squires |first=John |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3839781/smile-2-comes-home-to-digital-outlets-this-tuesday/ |title='Smile 2' Comes Home to Digital Outlets This Tuesday! |website=Bloody Disgusting |date=November 18, 2024 |access-date=November 21, 2024}}

{{As of|2024|12|10|df=US}}, Smile 2 has grossed $69 million in the United States and Canada, and $69.1 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $138.1 million.

In the United States and Canada, Smile 2 was projected to gross $17–25{{nbsp}}million from 3,619 theaters in its opening weekend.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/smile-2-box-office-1236117666/|title=Smile 2 Heading For High Teens At Weekend Box Office|date=October 16, 2024|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=October 16, 2024}}{{Cite web |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=October 16, 2024 |title=Box Office: 'Smile 2' Aims to Carve Out $20 Million in Opening Weekend |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/box-office-smile-2-opening-weekend-projections-1236179199/ |access-date=October 16, 2024 |website=Variety}} The film made $9.5{{nbsp}}million on its first day,{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/date/2024-10-18/|title=Domestic Box Office For Oct 18, 2024|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=October 21, 2024}} including an estimated $2.5{{nbsp}}million in previews.{{Cite web |last=Moreau |first=Jordan |date=2024-10-18 |title=Box Office: Smile 2 Makes $2.5 Million in Previews |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/box-office-smile-2-previews-1236180139/ |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2024/10/box-office-smile-2-1236120024/|title=Smile 2 Happier With $23M Opening; A24's We Live In Time Making Dime With $4M+, Anora Wows With Massive $90K Theater Average – Sunday Box Officee|date=October 20, 2024|first=Anthony|last=D'Alessandro|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=October 20, 2024|archive-date=November 8, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241108214419/https://deadline.com/2024/10/box-office-smile-2-1236120024/|url-status=live}} The film went on to debut to $23{{nbsp}}million, topping the original's $22.6{{nbsp}}million debut and finishing first at the box office.{{Cite web |last=Rubin |first=Rebecca |date=2024-10-20 |title=Smile 2 Leads Box Office With $23 Million Debut, A24's We Live in Time Cracks Top Five |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/smile-2-box-office-opening-weekend-we-live-in-time-impresses-1236183702/ |access-date=2024-10-20 |website=Variety |language=en-US}} The film made $9.5 million in its second weekend, finishing second behind newcomer Venom: The Last Dance.{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/weekend/2024W43/|title=Domestic 2024 Weekend 43|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=November 2, 2024}}

File:Naomi Scott during interview in 2019 02.png's performance as Skye Riley received praise from critics.]]

The film received generally positive reviews from critics, giving high praise for Naomi Scott's performance.{{Cite web |last=Campbell |first=Christopher |date=October 16, 2024 |title=Smile 2 First Reviews: One of the Best Horror Films of the Year |url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/smile-2-first-reviews-one-of-the-best-horror-films-of-the-year/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |website=Rotten Tomatoes}} {{Rotten Tomatoes prose|86|6.9|206|Blessed with a nerve-jangling star turn by Naomi Scott, writer-director Parker Finn broadens Smile{{'s}} conceit into a pop stardom nightmare that'll leave a rictus grin on horror fans' faces.|ref=yes|access-date=December 31, 2024}} {{Metacritic film prose|67|37|ref=yes|access-date=October 10, 2024}} Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale (up from the first film's "B-"), while those surveyed by PostTrak gave it a 71% overall positive score (including an average of 3½ out of 5 stars).

Writing for Polygon, Austen Goslin gave a positive review for the film, deeming it superior to the first, while stating: "Rather than simply rehashing the original, Parker Finn pushes his clever premise to its logical extreme and builds some incredibly scary scenes to match. In fact, Finn ends Smile 2 in a spot that feels like the perfect conclusion to the franchise — and the perfect jumping-off point for the career of one of the most exciting horror directors of his generation."{{Cite web |last=Goslin |first=Austen |date=2024-10-17 |title=Smile 2 is smarter, scarier, and much better than the first movie |url=https://www.polygon.com/review/466687/smile-2-review-best-horror-movies-2024 |access-date=2024-10-18 |website=Polygon}} David Fear of Rolling Stone wrote, "There are long stretches where you actually forget you're watching a Smile movie and couldn't be blamed for thinking you've stumbled into a slightly more nightmarish version of Beyond the Lights."{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/tv-movies/tv-movie-reviews/smile-2-review-1235134023/|title=Smile 2 Proves There's Nothing Scarier Than Pop Stardom|last=Fear|first=David|date=October 17, 2024|magazine=Rolling Stone}} Benjamin Lee of The Guardian gave the film 3/5 stars, writing, "I'm not sure if Smile 2 really adds much to an experience that we don't already know but it does make for a neat, well-utilised setting for a horror film about losing one's mind."{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/oct/17/smile-2-review|title=Smile 2 review – gory pop star horror sequel sings a familiar tune|last=Lee|first=Benjamin|date=October 17, 2024|newspaper=The Guardian}} Variety{{'}}s Owen Gleiberman said, "The movie is hardly subtle, yet Parker Finn has become a clever enough filmmaker to make reality feel like a hallucination and hallucinations feel like reality."{{Cite magazine |last=Gleiberman |first=Owen |date=2024-10-16 |title='Smile 2' Review: A Skillfully Disquieting Sequel Turns the Life of a Pop Star Into a Horror Ride of Mental Breakdown |url=https://variety.com/2024/film/reviews/smile-2-review-naomi-scott-1236178126/ |access-date=2024-10-21 |magazine=Variety}}

Bilge Ebiri of Vulture was more critical, writing, "As Skye becomes increasingly unable to tell what's actually happening and what's a waking nightmare, we should feel more for her, and we should feel more with her. Instead, we lose interest, as the whole thing becomes pointless and even a little cynical and cruel. The movie ultimately scuttles its own ambitions."{{Cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/review-smile-2s-ideas-are-scarier-than-the-movie-itself.html|title=Smile 2's Ideas Are Scarier Than the Movie Itself|date=October 17, 2024|website=Vulture|last=Ebiri|first=Bilge|author-link=Bilge Ebiri|access-date=October 17, 2024}} NME{{'}}s James Mottram said, "Sadly, Smile 2 doesn't feel as fresh as its predecessor. Partly because it borrows liberally from films like Flatliners (and tries to out-gore The Substance for all the bloody prosthetics)... in essence this is just a re-run of the first movie, just in a slightly glitzier environment."{{Cite magazine |last=Mottram |first=James |date=2024-10-16 |title='Smile 2' review: unhappy horror sequel might make you frown |url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/smile-2-review-horror-naomi-scott-3803332 |access-date=2024-10-21 |magazine=NME}}

In September 2024, writer/director Parker Finn confirmed plans to continue the franchise 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."{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/entertainment/horror-movies/smile-2-director-says-the-sequel-uses-ideas-that-didnt-make-it-into-the-first-film-and-he-already-has-a-plan-for-a-third-movie-too/|work=GamesRadar / SFX Magazine|title=Smile 2 director says the sequel uses ideas that didn't make it into the first film – and he already has a plan for a third movie too|last1=Milici|first1=Lauren|first2=Steve|last2=O'Brien|date=September 28, 2024|access-date=October 3, 2024}} In December, it was reported that Smile 3 was in the works and is set to start filming in 2025.{{Cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/smile-3-happening-parker-finn-direct-horror-sequel/|title='Smile 3' News Will Have Horror Fans Grinning From Ear to Ear|website=MovieWeb|first=Federico|last=Furzan|date=December 6, 2024|access-date=December 9, 2024|archive-date=December 6, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241206214512/https://movieweb.com/smile-3-happening-parker-finn-direct-horror-sequel/|url-status=live}}

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{{Parker Finn}}

Category:Smile (film series)

Category:2024 films

Category:2024 horror films

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Category:Films about curses

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Category:Films directed by Parker Finn

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