Smile 2 could still happen as director shares promising update on sequel

Sosie Bacon as Dr. Rose Cotter in new horror movie Smile
(Image credit: Paramount Pictures)

Smile was one of the surprise horror hits of the year thanks to its stellar viral marketing campaign and unique premise. After making waves at the box office, many were left wondering if a sequel was on the cards for the movie. While writer and director Parker Finn was initially resistant to the idea, he recently shared a promising update on the franchise’s future.

"I made Smile to, of course, be self-contained, tell its whole own story," Finn told ComicBook.com. "I didn't think in a million years that there would be such a demand for a sequel. But having said that, I think there are definitely things inside of the film that remain purposefully unexplored that would be very exciting to dive into, and also things that I didn't get a chance to do on the first one for either budget constraints or if it didn't quite fit in the story that I think would be really exciting."

He continued: "I still feel that I never want to overtly just repeat myself or do the same thing I just did, but I think that there could be a really exciting way for there to be more in the world of Smile, but something very unexpected and surprising for an audience with a lot of tricks up its sleeves."

Smile is now available to stream on Paramount Plus and digital release. It follows Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) who begins to see things she cannot explain after witnessing a traumatic incident involving a patient. Left with no other option, she has to confront her troubling past to escape her terrifying new reality. 

If you’re looking for your next fright, check out our round-up of the best horror movies.

Fay Watson
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I’m the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at 12DOVE, covering TV and film for the Total Film and SFX sections online. I previously worked as a Senior Showbiz Reporter and SEO TV reporter at Express Online for three years. I've also written for The Resident magazines and Amateur Photographer, before specializing in entertainment.

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