Smile arrived in theaters in 2002 and earned $217 million worldwide on a $17 million budget. That's a massive profit for a horror movie and Paramount wasted no time in developing a sequel, Smile 2, which is set to be released this Friday.
Based on the first wave of reviews, the follow-up is just as good as - but perhaps not better than - its predecessor.
However, as we first reported on FearHQ.com, new lead Naomi Scott (Power Rangers) is receiving a lot of praise for her performance and it sounds like there are plenty of scares for horror fans to get excited about.
The Hollywood Reporter says Smile 2 "will leave plenty of horror fans grinning from ear to ear," but cautions, "[Director Parker Finn] perhaps just needs to back off a little from the misconception that more is more and maintain a greater focus on his story skills."
Variety echoes that by explaining, "The ending is destined to leave the audience scratching its collective head, and that’s because Parker Finn, now in love with the 'Smile; mythology he created, gets grandiose about it." JoBlo counters by declaring, "[Smile 2 is] 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."
According to Empire Online, Smile 2 is "Creepy and clever but rarely surprising, this horror hits its marks well enough, but fails to surpass its more rough-and-ready predecessor." IGN adds, "Though not quite as scary as the original, this sequel to the horror hit should put a wicked grin on plenty of faces."
IndieWire, meanwhile, believes Smile 2 could be the first of many follow-ups to that 2022 original. "More than anything, this sequel is proof of the endless versatility that could turn 'Smile' movies into an October box office fixture for decades to come," the site explains.
Finally, Bloody Disgusting chimes in to say, "As someone who found the first film solid yet ultimately familiar in its influences, Smile 2 makes for one of the year’s biggest horror surprises." They add that "[Naomi] Scott delivers a career-defining performance, tackling so many layers to her character and with seemingly effortless ease."
On Rotten Tomatoes, Smile 2 currently sits at 84%. Smile was "Certified Fresh" at 80% two years ago so things seem to be heading in a positive direction for this sequel.
To coincide with the review embargo lifting, we also have a final trailer for Smile 2 which you can watch below.
In Smile 2, 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.
The sequel is written and directed by Parker Finn and produced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, Parker Finn, Robert Salerno.
Smile 2's cast includes Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, Raúl Castillo and Kyle Gallner.
The movie arrives in theaters on October 18.