Put on a happy face, because “Smile 3” is officially in the works.
Paramount hired David Bruckner to direct and Nick Antosca to write the screenplay. They succeed Parker Finn, creator of the series and who will remain involved as producer alongside Temple Hill. (Finn introduced the framework for the third installment.) Jonathan Fass will executive produce.
Bruckner’s credits include the 2022 reboot “Hellraiser,” the 2017 psychological thriller “The Ritual” and the 2020 supernatural horror film “The Night House.” Bruckner is particularly in demand these days: he’s currently writing and developing a reboot of the sci-fi horror classic “The Blob” for Warner Bros., as well as Universal’s adaptation of “The Caretaker,” starring Sydney Sweeney, and he’s set to direct “Mice” for A24.
Antosca is best known for creating Apple’s miniseries “Cape Fear” and co-creating Hulu’s “The Act,” as well as writing 2021’s “Antlers” and the more recent Colleen Hoover adaptation “Verity.”
Plot details of the third “Smile” film have not been revealed. The first film stars Sosie Bacon as a therapist who becomes haunted by hallucinations after witnessing the death of a patient. In the second, Naomi Scott plays a pop singer who begins to experience a series of disturbing events while she embarks on tour. Since each “Smile” film has functioned as a standalone sequel, with a separate story and new stars, it is unclear who will appear in the trio.
Finn wrote and directed 2022’s “Smile” and the 2024 sequel “Smile 2.” The original film – ordered for streaming before moving to a theatrical release – became a sleeper hit, grossing $105 million domestically and $217 million worldwide. The follow-up was not enough as big at the box office but became a commercial victory, grossing $69 million domestically and $139 million worldwide against a modest budget of $28 million. In total, the franchise has grossed over $350 million worldwide.
Although Finn is not spearheading “Smile 3,” he still works closely with Paramount, having signed an initial contract with the studio after the first “Smile” became a theatrical success. Finn is directing a remake of the 1981 supernatural thriller “Possession” starring Callum Turner and Margaret Qualley and scheduled for June 11, 2027.
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