It’s not exactly something that anyone expected to see when the movie Smile was first released in 2022. However, director Parker Finn successfully launched a new horror franchise with the release of the film. Fans not only received a sequel, Smile 2, this year – but now it looks like Smile 3 is also on the way with a 2025 shoot date.
According to a listing on Production Weekly, Smile 3 will begin shooting as soon as next year. This update comes not long after the theatrical release of Smile 2, which was quite successful for Paramount. In fact, the follow-up grossed $137.7 million at the box office with a mere $28 million budget. As such, a sequel seemed inevitable with such profits – not to mention the positive reception that both currently-released Smile films have received.
With that said, it’s unknown what exactly the plot of this new film will be. However, with Parker Finn likely involved once again as writer and director, it’s likely that he’ll come up with another great new take on the formula.
In fact, he’s already discussed in a recent interview how he’d like to once again tell an intimate story even with the massive implications of the ending featured in Smile 2. It’s unknown how far he can continue telling these stories, but if they keep doing well critically and at the box office, then we could continue to see the Smile film franchise work its way up there with other notable horror brands.
Additionally, not only does Finn now have this new sequel to Smile 2 on his plate, but he’s also set to direct a remake of the cult classic 1981 film Possession. It’s clear that the success of Smile and Smile 2 have really opened up new doorways for his career.
Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding the production of Smile 3 in 2025 and its release as we have them. With the ending of Smile 2 there is certainly plenty of potential to further expand this universe, so hopefully we’ll have more news soon.