Halloween is a time to appreciate the movies that make you feel a sense of dread, both new and old, good and bad. For Peacock subscribers, there is one movie that has jumped into the global chart that is well worth watching this spooky season. Despite having a limited budget and boasting no A-list stars, the movie didn’t really need special effects to get under the skin of viewers and become a huge post-pandemic hit. In fact, all it needed to do was have several of its characters…smile. Yes, Smile is back in the streaming charts and it is perhaps not surprising considering the instant reaction the movie received when it was released in theaters after originally being planned as a streaming exclusive on Paramount+.
Smile is a movie that grabs viewers right from the start, as therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) meets her newest patient, Laura Weaver, for the first time. Laura has been traumatized after witnessing her professor violently kill himself and believes that the entity that drove him to it is now targeting her. When Laura suddenly becomes hysterical, Rose attempts to call for help, but Laura suddenly stops her screaming and stands smiling at Rose. A moment later, Laura kills herself in front of Rose, setting in motion another cycle of the curse, as Rose suddenly begins to see random people smiling at her. The film plays out in a similar way to movies like The Ring, as Rose attempts to break the curse before she succumbs to the same fate as Laura, the professor before her, and many other past victims. The intense story plays out with plenty of jump scares, false resolutions, and by the end you feel every bit of terror that Rose goes through.
Smile Has Become a Crowd-Pleasing Horror Franchise
Even horror movies that are panned by critics and make only minimal returns on their budgets can always get several straight-to-DVD sequels. Smile rewarded Paramount’s decision to give the movie a theatrical release by turning its $17 million budget into a $217 million worldwide box office, spurred on by word of mouth recommendations from audiences and mostly positive reviews from critics. The film still holds a 79% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes, with even the middling reviews heaping praise on Bacon’s incredible performance as Rose. This kind of success meant a sequel was always going to happen, and Smile 2 released in 2024 to deliver an even more successful sequel. This time around Naomi Scott starred as pop idol Skye Riley, who finds her life being turned upside down when she starts having visions of the same smiling people as Rose.
Naturally, the second movie came with an increased budget ($28 million) and a reduced box officer performance, this time taking just $138 million but still a strong performer when compared to its costs. Scott delivered a career-best performance in the movie, for which many believed she should have received some major awards recognition, and Smile 2 saw its reviews delivering even more positive responses than its predecessor. Once again, the ending of the movie left a very clear open path for the next movie, and it did not take long for Paramount to green-light development on the next instalment. Franchise writer/director Parker Finn said in 2024 that he felt that “we’ve maybe only scooped a single glass of water out of the ocean,” when asked about the possibility of more movies, or even spin-offs. It was reported that filming on Smile 3 would begin in 2026, but at the time of writing, the film is still just “in development.” However, the franchise did get an unexpected expansion with the comic series Any Given Smile, which acts as a prequel story to the first movie. Why not head over to Peacock and remind yourself of where it all began while you wait of the next instalment.
Is Smile one of the best horror movies of the decade? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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