Paramount Pictures’s decision to turn Smile, which was originally meant to be a streaming-only film, into a wide theatrical release has continued to pay handsome dividends for the studio. Smile 2, the critically acclaimed sequel, managed to (narrowly) outgross its predecessor’s opening weekend, making a handsome $23 million this weekend (just slightly ahead of our predictions). With a budget in the $27 million range, that’s a solid result for what could become the studio’s first big horror franchise since the Paranormal Activity series ran out of steam some years back.

For the sequel, director Parker Finn expanded the scope, with star Naomi Scott (in an excellent performance) playing a Taylor Swift-style pop star who winds up cursed. Given the ending, Finn may return for a third film with an even broader scope, but one has to wonder how long he’ll stay committed to the franchise. He’s getting some big directing jobs (including the star-studded Possession remake) and might want to leave the franchise as is – although Paramount likely will make a third with or without him.

According to the Comscore numbers, The Wild Robot pulled ahead of Terrifier 3 for a third-place finish, making $10.1 million for a $101 million North American haul. Terrifier 3 had a good hold in its second weekend, only slipping 51%, with a $9.3 million weekend and an excellent $36 million domestic total. Given the movie cost in the single-digit millions, this franchise (check out our rankings) has been minting cash, and it will likely be one of the year’s most profitable movies. 

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice mania also continued this weekend. Despite being on VOD, it earned $5 million for a $283 million total, with a $300 million domestic total within reach, especially with Halloween coming up. A24’s romantic weepie We Live in Time made a strong $4.5 million despite being open on less than 1000 screens. Younger audiences are embracing this date movie, which is carried by the star power of Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. 

However, star power isn’t saving Joker: Folie a Deux, which fell another massive 69% this weekend to gross only $2.1 million for an atrocious $56 million total. Rumor has it the movie might lose WB $200 million. The Lego-animated Piece By Piece, which is a documentary about Pharrell, made $2.1 million for a $7.6 million total. Poor Transformers One is winding down its run, with a $1.9 million weekend, for a total of just over $56 million. It’s too bad audiences didn’t embrace this pretty good animated prequel. 

Another good movie struggling to find an audience is Saturday Night, about the early days of SNL. It lost 47% of its audience and only made $1.8 million for a domestic total of just over $7 million. Finally, the Tim Burton re-release, The Nightmare Before Christmas, made a solid $1.13 million for a $4.8 million total (to note, this only reflects the gross of the re-release).

Next weekend, we should see the first $50 million-plus opener in some time, with Sony’s latest addition to the Spider-Verse, Venom: The Last Dance, coming out. Do you think it will end the franchise with a bang? Let us know in the comments! 

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SATURDAY UPDATE: It looks like Smile 2 is going to open pretty much on par with the first film. Deadline is predicting that the horror sequel is going to gross somewhere around $22 million this weekend, which will bring it in just under the $22.6 million the original opened with. While only time will tell whether or not the sequel will have the legs the original did (it grossed over $200 million worldwide), the reviews for this are spot-on, and the opening is pretty much in line with our predictions.

Terrifier 3 is looking at about a 48% dip from the first weekend (good for a horror movie), but will likely get overtaken in second place by The Wild Robot, which is having great legs at the box office and should make $10.7 million this weekend, compared to Art the Clown’s $9.8 million. Further down the list, A24’s We Live in Time is overperforming, with a predicted $4 million weekend, and a predicted fifth place finish.

Check back tomorrow for our full box office report!

The people at Paramount will also be smiling ear-to-ear as the sequel to the 2022 horror film Smile keeps the scares going this October after Terrifier 3 topped last week’s box office top ten. Smile 2 blew away our own Chris Bumbray as he glowed in his review, “Smile 2 dwarfed its predecessor, but it could rub people the wrong way with its heavy doses of pitch-black comedy. However, Finn also doesn’t skimp on the gore, with it being more gruesome than the original and having a big payoff, which is an all-timer for me as far as these things go. Indeed, I was shocked at how much I loved Smile 2. For me, it’s one of the more entertaining films I’ve seen this year, with the two-hour-plus running time racing by. It’s an all-out gore-soaked blast.”

Deadline is now reporting that audiences lined up for a good scare for the early Thursday preview of the Parker Finn horror movie, and Smile 2 would conjure up $2.5 million as it started its run at 5pm through 3,000 locations. This would best the first movie’s early preview by half a million, while the first would go on to make $22.6 million in its opening weekend and finish its theater life with $105.9 million. The ticket presales were also a good sign for this sequel and the buzz is pretty positive as it sits on a certified fresh 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes while it waits for an audience score.

The Halloween-going crowd also had last week’s Terrifier 3 to give some good scares. The Thursday estimates indicate a slight drop with $1.5 million earned, which will bring its first week run to $26.9 million. The Terrifier movies made a splash with audiences due to the over-the-top violence and dark humor and many are saying that Terrifier 3 is the best in the series yet. The success of this new film is also priming audiences for an inevitable follow-up.

Meanwhile, not all of these October new releases are aiming to scare audiences, the Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh romantic drama We Live in Time from A24 expanded its release to 955 theaters. The film wouldn’t fair with the bigger releases and earned a humble $500k on Thursday.

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I had a great time with Parker Finn’s original feature Smile. It was a fun flick with great performances. Even still, when I stepped into the theatre for Smile 2, my expectations were in check. And yet, I, along with the rest of the audience, all responded to the new sequel. The surprisingly excellent sequel offers a compelling story that builds on its creepy premise. The kills are intense, and for a longer film, it never wears out its welcome. Much of the success can be given to the talent of its filmmaker, Parker Finn. However, you also have to give credit to the film’s star, Naomi Scott. The actress gives an incredible performance and makes you truly care about her dilemma. Check out our own Chris Bumbray’s review here.

It’s always nice to step into an interview with genuine excitement for the film. And I loved this movie. First up, I spoke with the filmmaker, Parker Finn. He talked about building this cinematic world and casting Naomi Scott in the lead. Next up I had the chance to speak with Ms. Scott. Having interviewed her before, I was more than pleased to talk again. Naomi is excellent here, and she opened up about playing a pop star who is facing a serious crisis in her life. Smile 2 is a terrific horror film, but it’s also incredibly unsettling, and it rarely pulls any punches. It’s more than a little refreshing to see a genuinely great sequel, and for me, this one is certainly up there.

Check out Smile 2 this weekend with a crowd!

The post Interview: Naomi Scott and Parker Finn Talk Smile 2 appeared first on JoBlo.

After a surprising takeover at the box office last weekend by the scrappy Terrifier 3, expect horror to once again rule the roost. Parker Finn’s eagerly anticipated horror sequel, Smile 2, is set to dominate the weekend box office, but despite some great reviews (including ours), the outlook for the movie is surprisingly middling.

The original Smile is one of the biggest success stories to emerge from the pandemic. Originally shot as a low-budget horror movie for Paramount Plus, the studio execs noticed how strong test screenings were. With the marketable smile gimmick, they gave it a theatrical release, and it ended up making over $200 million worldwide. The original film opened with $22.6 million, but despite being an even better movie than the original, the sequel likely won’t open quite as strongly. 

At the moment, tracking suggests the film will open in the $15-20 million range, but I’m thinking that if Terrifier 3 can open with $18 million, there’s no reason Smile 2 can’t eke out $20 million. However, it can’t be denied that Damien Leone’s slasher flick will take a big bite out of Smile 2’s audience. Horror fans who didn’t turn out to see Terrifier 3 last weekend might find themselves torn between it and Smile 2. The latter will likely still perform strongly, as it’s a good horror date movie (Terrifier 3 is a touch too gruesome for that), but some horror fans might decide Art the Clown is the guy they want to spend the weekend with. As such, going deeper into spooky season I expect Terrifier 3 to make in the $10 million range.

Otherwise, The Wild Robot, despite being on PVOD, should have no trouble hitting third place, with about $8 million, while Beetlejuice Beetlejuice should do in the $5 million range. Joker Folie a Deux should tumble to fifth place with a horrifyingly bad $4 million weekend, on its way to a quick VOD bow.

Here are our predictions:

1. Smile 2: $20 million
2. Terrifier 3: $10 million
3. The Wild Robot $8 million
4. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice: $5 million
5. Joker: Folie a Deux: $4 million

Do you think our numbers are right? Let us know in the comments!

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Heeeeere’s Ray! As promotion for Smile 2 ramps up ahead of its wide release this week, comparisons have been drawn between one of its stars, Ray Nicholson, and his famous father, Jack. And yes, it comes down to the grin.

The main comparison between Ray and Jack Nicholson centers on the former’s character poster for Smile 2 and one of the most famous scenes in The Shining, in which he takes an ax to the bathroom door, pokes his head through the hole and takes time to make a reference to The Tonight Show. When asked about the similarities, Ray – in front of one of the movie’s posters, eerily giving the illusion of devil horns sprouting from his head – he told Deadline, “Obviously I love him, he’s my inspiration. I ate dinner with him every night, I studied it, that’s how I learned to be a human being. Of course we’re gonna be kind of similar but as far as talking about it, if he ever did tell me something, I probably wouldn’t investigate it for myself because I’d be like, ‘You’re the best, of course that’s right.’ And it might not work for me. I love him, he’s also my hero. I’m the luckiest kid in the world, that’s all I would say about it.” While Jack was (is?) a notorious Hollywood playboy, Ray’s mother is Rebecca Broussard, the model-actress who Jack was partners with in the late ‘80s and early part of the ‘90s.

The similarities between Ray and Jack Nicholson’s smiles is no doubt there, so consider that a bonus in the creep department. As with the first movie (which we dug, giving it a 7/10), it’s present in the viral marketing as well, as the studio has sent participants to MLB playoff games to pretty much just sit there and smile for the duration…although one got spooked when a foul ball was headed his way.

Here is the official plot of Smile 2: “About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.”

Will you be checking out Smile 2 this weekend?

The post Ray Nicholson drawing comparisons to dad Jack in Smile 2 promos appeared first on JoBlo.

PLOT: Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), one of the world’s biggest pop stars, becomes haunted by a familiar curse on the eve of her new world tour, sending her life spiralling out of control.

REVIEW: 2022’s Smile was quietly one of the most profitable studio movies of the last few years. Originally designed as a low-budget movie for Paramount Plus, a round of excellent test screenings resulted in Paramount Pictures opting to give it a theatrical release. The result was a movie that grossed over $217 million worldwide on a $17 million budget. It immediately established writer/director Parker Finn, who adapted the movie from his own short (Laura Hasn’t Slept) as a horror phenom, and the release of his ambitious sequel is one of the bigger horror events of the year.

So, how does Smile 2 stack up to its sleeper-hit predecessor? Amazingly well, it turns out. Boasting a bigger budget, Parker Finn’s taken what could have been a run-of-the-mill sequel and elevated it to truly dazzling heights. I liked the first movie well enough, but I wasn’t prepared for how much fun the sequel was right off the bat.

Smile 2 begins with a full-on action sequence. Kyle Gallner’s Joel, who ended the first film cursed, tries to pass on his affliction in the most altruistic way, which ends up climaxing in a surprisingly potent shoot-out. Things don’t go as planned, with him unwittingly passing the curse on to someone who doesn’t deserve it. From there, Finn can use his bigger platform in a way that truly pushes the envelope from what we expect from a movie like this. It’s the rare A-level studio horror film, and Finn uses the pop aspect to stage some bravura quasi-musical sequences. This is perhaps the only movie you’ll see that feels equally inspired by Hideo Nakata and Bob Fosse.

He also has an amazing lead in Naomi Scott, who gives the performance of her life as Riley. Riley was already badly unmoored before even being cursed following drug addiction and a nearly life-ending accident. Scott embraces the camp aspect, playing Riley to the hilt as she becomes increasingly demented as the film goes on. It’s the kind of performance you’d expect from someone like Nicolas Cage, in that it’s unapologetically maximalist… and delicious.

She’s ably supported by Rosemarie DeWitt, who grounds things a bit as her opportunistic mother, and Dylan Gelula as her ride-or-die BFF. Lukas Gage also pops up and has a knockout sequence early on in the film, where he gets to chew some scenery. Jack Nicholson’s lookalike son, Ray Nicholson, also shows up as a character in Riley’s orbit and purposely channels his father in his big moment.

My only question about Smile 2 is what its reception by horror fans will be like- the film is so unapologetically camp that I wonder if some fans of the lower-key original might be put off. For me, it was the opposite, as Smile 2 dwarfed its predecessor, but it could rub people the wrong way with its heavy doses of pitch-black comedy. However, Finn also doesn’t skimp on the gore, with it being more gruesome than the original and having a big payoff, which is an all-timer for me as far as these things go. Indeed, I was shocked at how much I loved Smile 2. For me, it’s one of the more entertaining films I’ve seen this year, with the two-hour-plus running time racing by. It’s an all-out gore-soaked blast. 

Smile 2

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Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review HERE, watch the movie HERE) is aiming for an October 18th theatrical release date, and with that date just a few days away, the final trailer for Smile 2 has just dropped online. You can watch it in the embed above.

Smile was based on Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept (watch it HERE), which won the Special Jury Recognition Prize in SXSW’s Midnight Short category. Caitlin Stasey (Neighbours) played the title character in that short, and reprises the role in Smile, making it a follow-up of sorts. Smile has the following synopsis: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Here’s the Smile 2 synopsis: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Naomi Scott of Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels takes on the role of Skye Riley and is joined in the cast by Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You, Rosemarie DeWitt of La La Land and the Poltergeist remake, Dylan Gelula of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Dream Scenario, Raúl Castillo of Army of the Dead and Knives Out, Miles Gutierrez-Riley of The Wilds and On The Come Up, and Kyle Gallner (Red State), reprising the role he played in the first movie. A featurette revealed that Drew Barrymore (Scream) also makes an appearance, playing herself and interviewing Skye Riley on her talk show.

Smile was produced by Temple Hill, and they are producing Smile 2 as well.

What did you think of the final trailer for Smile 2? Will you be catching this movie on the big screen in a few days? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review HERE, watch the movie HERE) is aiming for an October 18th theatrical release date, and with that date just a few days away, a new featurette has arrived online to give us another behind-the-scenes look at Smile 2. In this featurette, which is embedded above, we get some insight into how the film’s star, Naomi Scott of Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels, brought her pop star character Skye Riley to life. Speaking of Skye Riley, her EP has been released and is available HERE.

Smile was based on Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept (watch it HERE), which won the Special Jury Recognition Prize in SXSW’s Midnight Short category. Caitlin Stasey (Neighbours) played the title character in that short, and reprises the role in Smile, making it a follow-up of sorts. Smile has the following synopsis: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Here’s the Smile 2 synopsis: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Smile was produced by Temple Hill, and they are producing Smile 2 as well. Scott is joined in the cast by Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You, Rosemarie DeWitt of La La Land and the Poltergeist remake, Dylan Gelula of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Dream Scenario, Raúl Castillo of Army of the Dead and Knives Out, Miles Gutierrez-Riley of The Wilds and On The Come Up, and Kyle Gallner (Red State), reprising the role he played in the first movie. Another featurette revealed that Drew Barrymore (Scream) also makes an appearance, playing herself and interviewing Skye Riley on her talk show.

Are you looking forward to Smile 2? Take a look at the Naomi Scott / Skye Riley featurette, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

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Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review HERE, watch the movie HERE) is aiming for an October 18th theatrical release date, and with that date just a couple of weeks away, a new featurette has arrived online to give us a behind-the-scenes look at Smile 2. To find out what Finn and the film’s star, Naomi Scott of Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels, had to say about this follow-up, check out the video embedded above.

Smile was based on Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept (watch it HERE), which won the Special Jury Recognition Prize in SXSW’s Midnight Short category. Caitlin Stasey (Neighbours) played the title character in that short, and reprises the role in Smile, making it a follow-up of sorts. Smile has the following synopsis: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Here’s the Smile 2 synopsis: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Smile was produced by Temple Hill, and they are producing Smile 2 as well. Scott is joined in the cast by Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You, Rosemarie DeWitt of La La Land and the Poltergeist remake, Dylan Gelula of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Dream Scenario, Raúl Castillo of Army of the Dead and Knives Out, Miles Gutierrez-Riley of The Wilds and On The Come Up, and Kyle Gallner (Red State), reprising the role he played in the first movie. The featurette reveals that Drew Barrymore (Scream) also makes an appearance, playing herself and interviewing Skye Riley on her talk show.

Are you looking forward to Smile 2? Take a look at the featurette, then let us know by leaving a comment below.

The post Smile 2 featurette goes behind the scenes with director Parker Finn and star Naomi Scott appeared first on JoBlo.

Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review HERE, watch the movie HERE) is heading for an October 18th theatrical release date, and tickets to Smile 2 screenings are now on sale. In the build-up to the release of the film, Finn sat down for an interview with SFX magazine, during which he not only revealed that this sequel uses ideas that he wasn’t able to work into the first movie, but also that he imagines the franchise carrying on with increasingly off-the-rails sequels!

Smile was based on Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept (watch it HERE), which won the Special Jury Recognition Prize in SXSW’s Midnight Short category. Caitlin Stasey (Neighbours) played the title character in that short, and reprises the role in Smile, making it a follow-up of sorts. Smile has the following synopsis: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.

Here’s the Smile 2 synopsis: About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.

Smile was produced by Temple Hill, and they are producing Smile 2 as well. Scott is joined in the cast by Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You, Rosemarie DeWitt of La La Land and the Poltergeist remake, Dylan Gelula of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Dream Scenario, Raúl Castillo of Army of the Dead and Knives Out, Miles Gutierrez-Riley of The Wilds and On The Come Up, and Kyle Gallner (Red State), reprising the role he played in the first movie.

Finn told SFX magazine, “There was information I had for myself that wasn’t expressed in the first film that I took the opportunity to bring into the new one, so what Smile 2 is doing is showing us new things. We felt like we’d uncovered the mystery in the first one, but we’ve maybe only scooped a single glass of water out of the ocean.” He added, “There are some ideas that I think are very exciting. I think it’s really fun to imagine a lineage of Smile movies where each one becomes more off the rails than the previous one. What’s really interesting about Smile is that you can find yourself in different stories, different characters, different worlds.“

Are you looking forward to Smile 2, and would you like to see Finn’s vision of an extended Smile franchise come true? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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