In 2022, Parker Finn made an everyday facial movement absolutely terrifying when he unleashed Smile upon the world. Unique, grotesque, and downright chilling, the Sosie Bacon and Kyle Gallner-led film was a hit with critics and audiences alike, earning a Certified Fresh approval rating of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. Two years after the smile curse was unveiled to theater-goers around the world, Finn came back with a vengeance through his 2024 film, Smile 2. There’s no arguing that last year was incredibly wonderful for genre fans, and, at the top of that entertainment list, you’d find Finn’s follow-up feature. Starring Naomi Scott as Skye Riley, a pop superstar who’s been infected by the grinning curse, the movie became one of the genre’s top-grossers of the year and was a favorite among audiences. But, what’s next for the blossoming franchise?
As those who’ve seen Smile 2 will know, the movie left things on a dismal and chaotic note, with the Smiler demon having now infected thousands of people. Catching up with Finn on the red carpet at the Saturn Awards, Collider’s Aidan Kelley picked the director’s brain about where he envisioned the story going should Paramount give the green light for a third installment. Revealing the path that he’d like to see the hopeful threequel take, Finn said:
“I think that if there were more directions for Smile to go in I’d want to make sure that it stays very thoughtful and sort of thematic and emotionally grounded with characters because I think that’s what makes the Smile movies work and I want to make sure that it continues to be fresh and unexpected, so we’ll have to see.”
Parker Finn’s Collaborative Set
Scott’s performance as the tortured singer was undeniably one of the best of the year, with many believing she was snubbed by the award circuit powers that be. Finn had nothing but incredible things to say about the Anatomy of a Scandal alum, referring to her talent as the “perfect storm” to take on a role as complicated as Skye Riley. Giving Kelley some insight into the casting process and how he runs his sets, Finn said:
“Well, I think that I always treat my actors, especially my leads, sort of as my partner in crime. It’s really about getting onto the same page and really understanding the role and creating the space for them to perform. And I think that it starts on the page, of course, and then casting is such an important part of the filmmaking process and it’s about finding the right person. I think that Naomi was such a perfect storm for the character of Skye Riley. She’s so talented. She sings, she dances, and she was able to go to these really extreme emotional places and yeah, I loved working with her.”
Smile 2 is now streaming on Paramount+.
via Collider