2022’s Smile might be one of the best horror movies of recent years. And if it’s not the best, it’s undoubtedly one of the most-talked-about. The Parker Finn-directed psychological horror film became a bit of a spooky season phenomenon and one of the biggest surprises at the box office. The movie centers on a psychiatrist, played by Sosie Bacon, as she begins to experience one terrifying encounter after another following her patient’s suicide. Given the movie’s popularity, one can’t help but wonder if a sequel could happen at some in the future, and Parker Finn has thoughts on that.
During an interview with ComicBook.com, Parker Finn discussed how he never expected the demand for a sequel to be this high while also discussing the possibility of returning to the world of Smile. The moviemaker explained that he conceived the movie as a standalone tale, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that he’s against the idea of doing more within the twisted world he’s created:
I made Smile to, of course, be self-contained, tell its whole own story. I didn’t think in a million years that there would be such a demand for a sequel. But having said that, I think there are definitely things inside of the film that remain purposefully unexplored that would be very exciting to dive into, and also things that I didn’t get a chance to do on the first one for either budget constraints or if it didn’t quite fit in the story that I think would be really exciting.
I’m sure the prospect of unanswered questions will excite horror movie fans—especially those wondering about the fate of Rose’s cat, Mustache. The director says he has his ideas on what happened to the feline, but he is not ready to divulge that information just yet. I suppose we will have to wait for a theoretical Smile 2 in order to get answers.
Parker Finn also spoke about his trepidation regarding a sequel, and there’s one specific thing that concerns him. As he put it, the big thing that he would not want to do is repeat himself or tread old ground in any way. In his own words:
I still feel that I never want to overtly just repeat myself or do the same thing I just did, but I think that there could be a really exciting way for there to be more in the world of Smile, but something very unexpected and surprising for an audience with a lot of tricks of its sleeves.
It must be hard for filmmakers to approach sequels of popular films in fresh ways that won’t alienate audiences who loved whatever’s come before Still, this is an exciting update from the director, and I’m hopeful that a follow-up to his first blockbuster horror film will happen.
If you’re wondering how to watch Smile, it is now available on streaming. All you will need is a Paramount+ subscription. Horror fans might also be interested in CinemaBlend’s list of upcoming horror movies. And for all your movie-going plans, check out our list of upcoming movie releases.