Turn that frown upside down, as Smile 3 is moving forward at Paramount. The studio has tapped Hellraiser reboot director David Bruckner to helm the follow-up to 2024’s Smile 2, with Nick Antosca (Verity, Cape Fear) penning the script.
As Variety reports, the pair are taking over for series creator Parker Finn, who pitched the framework for the threequel and will remain as a producer. Jonathan Fass is executive producing, while additional details, such as a story overview and an official title (Smil3, anyone?), are under wraps for now.
The first film, starring Sosie Bacon, follows a therapist who witnesses the bizarre suicide of a patient, then becomes overwhelmed with increasingly disturbing visions that lead her to believe she is experiencing something supernatural. It became the highest-grossing original horror film of 2022, and the sequel – which cast Naomi Scott as Skye Riley, a pop star who experiences a series of increasingly disturbing events just as she prepares to embark on tour – pushed the franchise’s global cume past US$350 million. Based on the trend, Smile 3 is likely to feature a new protagonist, and it’s unclear who will play the lead role.
The project is hardly the only one on Bruckner’s plate. Alongside Warner Bros.’ remake of The Blob, the filmmaker is also attached to the Sydney Sweeney-led adaptation of The Caretaker at Universal and A24 original Mice. The horror renaissance will continue with Finn, who is set to direct a remake of the 1981 supernatural thriller Possession, starring Callum Turner and Margaret Qualley, due out on 11 June 2027.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
