Parker Finn's 'Smile 2' exceeds expectations, breaks horror sequel curse

Smile 2, directed and written by Parker Finn, has achieved the rare feat of surpassing its predecessor's success, impressing both critics and audiences. 

The film is on track to outdo the original's $22.6 million opening weekend box office.

Finn's success is no surprise, given his impressive debut with Smile in 2022. Initially intended for Paramount+, the film's test screening led to a theatrical release, grossing $217 million on a $17 million budget.

Instead of continuing the story of Kyle Gallner's cursed detective, Finn took a bold approach with Smile 2, centering the sequel around Naomi Scott's pop star character, Skye Riley.

"When I sent the script to Kyle, he called me and was like, 'You know what? You made the right choice.' So he was very supportive of it," Finn told The Hollywood Reporter.

Scott's performance has earned widespread acclaim, sparking discussions about horror movies deserving awards recognition.

"She has this remarkable X factor and gravitas... I immediately believed her as this mega pop star," Finn said. "She sings all the original songs, performs the choreography herself... She did all of it."

Finn wasn't concerned about the overlap with M. Night Shyamalan's thriller, Trap, also centered around a pop star.

"I'm a big fan of Night... I knew there was very little chance that there would be much crossover in what the two movies are actually doing," Finn recalled.

With Smile 2 ending on a tantalizing note, Finn hints at the franchise's future.

"I love this idea that potential future iterations of Smile could go bigger... But, for me, what's important about Smile is that there is a real human, character-driven, intimate nature to the storytelling," Finn emphasized.