Smile (franchise) explained

Smile
Director:Parker Finn
Distributor:Paramount Pictures
Released:2020–present
Country:United States
Language:English

The Smile franchise consists of American supernatural psychological-horror installments, including a short, a theatrical feature film, and its upcoming 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 franchise, follows a number of characters who are tormented by a wicked entity that follows them unceasingly determined to be the cause of their death. The presence which Finn named "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, the characters 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.[1] [2] 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 contractually hired to once again serve as writer and director. The theatrical 2022 feature film was similarly met with praise from critics, and was a major financial success by turning a profit at the box office. Following the movie's similar successes, Finn signed a first-look contractual obligation with Paramount, before being hired for the upcoming sequel.

Films

FilmU.S.
release date
DirectorScreenwriterProducer(s)Status
SmileParker FinnMarty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner and Robert SalernoReleased
Smile 2Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, Robert Salerno and Parker FinnPost-production

Smile (2022)

See main article: article and Smile (2022 film).

Dr. Rose Cotter spent years of her life, 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 however, 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 commit suicide, 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 Dr. Cotter to bring the patient to the realization that these occurrences are delusions, Dr. Cotter is distraught as this ultimately fails when the patient begins to violently mutilate herself resulting in death.

After witnessing the horrific events of the patient's suicide, Dr. Cotter 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, Dr. Cotter 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, Dr. Cotter races against time as she too begins to have grim experiences of her own.[3] [4] [5] [6] [7]

Smile 2 (2024)

See main article: Smile 2. 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.[8] The filmmaker stated that while he intends that additional installments further explore the backstory of the entity, he will keep its mysterious nature intact.[9] 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 Smith. ...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."[10]

In March 2023, Finn signed a first-look contract with Paramount Pictures with the studio wanting to develop additional horror projects with the filmmaker.[11] 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.[12] By December of the same year, Naomi Scott was announced to be the star the movie.[13] In January 2024, Lukas Gage joined the cast as co-star,[14] while Kyle Gallner was confirmed to be reprising his role as Joel from the first movie; Rosemarie DeWitt will appear in the supporting cast.[15]

Principal photography commenced in New York beginning January 2024 and is expected to complete in March of the same year.[16] [17] In June 2024, the first trailer debuted, following the studio's initial marketing for a fiction pop star character from the movie, with the official title confirmed to be Smile 2.[18] [19] The movie scheduled for an October 18, 2024, release date.[20] [21]

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.[22] [23] [24]

Main cast and characters

CharacterShort filmFilms
Laura Hasn't SleptSmileSmile 2
The MonstrosityLew TempleMarti Matulis
Kevin Keppy
Dr. Rose Cotter Sosie Bacon 
Joel Kyle Gallner
Laura WeaverCaitlin Stasey 
Skye Riley Naomi Scott
 Lukas Gage
Trevor Jessie T. Usher 
Dr. Madeline Northcott Robin Weigert 
Dr. Morgan Desai Kal Penn 
Robert Talley Rob Morgan 
Victoria Muñoz Judy Reyes 
Mrs. "Mom" Weaver Dora Kiss 
Holly Weaver Gillian Zinser 
Greg Nick Arapoglou 
Carl Renken Jack Sochet 
Stephanie Sara Kapner 
 Raúl Castillo
 Rosemarie DeWitt
 Dylan Gelula
 Miles Gutierrez-Riley

Additional crew and production details

TitleCrew/Detail
ComposerCinematographerEditorProduction
companies
Distributing
companies
Running time
Laura Hasn't SleptRob HimebaughDan ClarkeTristan BorysPark Finn Films,
Post Mango
SXSW Film Festival11 mins
SmileCristobal Tapia de VeerCharlie SarroffElliot GreenbergParamount Players,
Temple Hill Entertainment
Paramount Pictures1 hr 55 mins
Smile 2Paramount Pictures,
Temple Hill Entertainment

Reception

Box office and financial performance

FilmBox office grossBox office rankingBudgetWorldwide total
net income
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwideAll time
North America
All time
worldwide
Smile$105,935,048$111,473,465$217,420,882
  1. 728
  1. 821
$17,000,000$200,420,882[25] [26]
Smile 2[27] [28]

Critical and public response

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SXSW Review - Laura Hasn't Slept. Nightmarish Conjurings. Musnicky, Sarah. April 7, 2020. April 27, 2024.
  2. Web site: Review: Laura Hasn't Slept (2020). UbIQuarian. Richter, Marina D.. September 27, 2020. April 27, 2024.
  3. Web site: 'Smile' Review – A Scary Grin Exposes a Familiar But Effective Horror Movie. Bloody Disgusting. Navarro, Meagan. September 23, 2022. April 1, 2024.
  4. Web site: Smile review – grin and bear it in this queasy, nasty horror melodrama. The Guardian. Bradshaw, Peter. September 28, 2022. April 1, 2024.
  5. Web site: 'Smile' Review: The Demons Grin Back at You in a Horror Movie With a Highly Effective Creep Factor. Variety. Gleiberman, Owen. September 27, 2022. April 1, 2024.
  6. Web site: 'Smile' Review: Procedural Horror That Makes Trauma The Antagonist. Deadline. Complex, Valerie. September 30, 2022. February 1, 2024.
  7. Web site: 'Smile' – Six Things We Learned from the Blu-ray's Commentary Track. Bloody Disgusting. DiVincenzo, Alex. December 13, 2022. April 1, 2024.
  8. Web site: Davids . Brian . How Parker Finn's 'Smile' Went From Streaming to Theatrical in a Single Night. December 9, 2022 . The Hollywood Reporter . August 11, 2023.
  9. Web site: Smile Director: Ending 'Purposefully' Leaves Room for Sequel. Den of Geek. Kaye, Don. December 2, 2022. August 11, 2023.
  10. Web site: Smile Interview: Parker Finn (writer/director). JoBlo. Nichols, Tyler. November 27, 2022. August 11, 2023.
  11. Web site: 'Smile' Filmmaker Parker Finn Signs First-Look Deal With Paramount (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. Kit, Borys. March 15, 2023. August 11, 2023.
  12. Web site: Smile 2 Officially Announced by Paramount at CinemaCon. MovieWeb. Fuge, Jonathan. April 27, 2023. August 11, 2023.
  13. Web site: Naomi Scott To Star In Next Installment Of Paramount's 'Smile' Franchise. Deadline. Kroll, Justin. December 13, 2023. February 1, 2024.
  14. Web site: Lukas Gage Joins 'Smile' Sequel From Paramount. Deadline. Grobar, Matt. January 9, 2024.
  15. Web site: Rosemarie DeWitt and Kyle Gallner Round Out Untitled 'Smile' Sequel Cast - Exclusive. The Wrap. Gonzalez, Umberto. January 10, 2024.
  16. Web site: Hollywood Film Crew Takes Over Newburgh Brewing Company Taproom. 101.5 WPDH. Boris, Andrew. January 24, 2024. March 2, 2024. January 31, 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240131041241/https://wpdh.com/smile-2-filming-newburgh-new-york/. live.
  17. Web site: 'Smile 2' Movie Filming to Shut Down Major Hudson Valley Road. 101.5 WPDH. Boris, Andrew. January 29, 2024. March 2, 2024.
  18. Web site: 'Smile 2' Trailer: An Evil Curse Haunts a Pop Star in Paramount's Horror Sequel. Variety. Dunn, Jack. June 18, 2024. June 19, 2024.
  19. Web site: 'Smile 2' Trailer: Naomi Scott's Pop Star Terrorized by Smiling Faces in Parker Finn's Paramount Sequel . Deadline. Grobar, Matt. June 18, 2024. June 19, 2024.
  20. Web site: 'Smile 2' Sets Release Date, 'One Love' Moves. Deadline. D'Alessandro, Anthony. September 22, 2023. September 24, 2023.
  21. Web site: CinemaCon '23: Paramount Presentation LIVE Blog - MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE, TRANSFORMERS, TMNT, & More. Comic Book Movie. Patel, Rohan. April 27, 2023. August 11, 2023. SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3; GLADIATOR 2 starring Denzel Washington and Paul Mescal, directed by Ridley Scott; SMILE 2; DEAR SANTA starring Jack Black - These are all on their upcoming slate for 2024..
  22. Web site: 'Laura Hasn't Slept' – Watch the Original Short Film That Became This Year's 'Smile' [Video]]. Bloody Disgusting. Squires, John. November 30, 2022. April 1, 2024.
  23. Web site: 'Laura Hasn't Slept': Watch the Creepy, 'Elm Street'-esque Short Film that Inspired 'Smile'. SyFy. Moore, Trent. November 30, 2022. April 1, 2024.
  24. Web site: Paramount, Temple Hill Set Feature Version Of Horror Short 'Laura Hasn't Slept'. Deadline. Fleming Jr., Mike. June 9, 2020. April 1, 2024.
  25. Smile. 15474916. Box Office Mojo. February 7, 2024.
  26. Smile (2022) – Financial Information. Smile-(2022). The Numbers. February 7, 2024.
  27. Smile 2. 29268110. Box Office Mojo. February 7, 2024.
  28. Untitled Smile Sequel (2024) – Financial Information. Untitled-Smile-Sequel-(2024). The Numbers. February 7, 2024.
  29. Web site: Smile. Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. February 1, 2024.
  30. Web site: Smile. Metacritic. Red Ventures. February 1, 2024.
  31. Web site: Cinemascore :: Movie Title Search. Cinemascore.com. February 1, 2024.