We’ve seen a couple casting announcements for writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review HERE, watch the movie HERE), which is aiming for an October 18, 2024 theatrical release date. Last month, it was announced that Naomi Scott of Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels has been cast in Smile 2, and yesterday we learned that Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You is in the cast as well… and when seeing those announcements, I could only wonder, “Where is Kyle Gallner?” A genre regular, Gallner had a role in Smile, and his character made it through the whole movie. So why wasn’t his presence in Smile 2 being confirmed? Well, thankfully, now it has. The Wrap reports that Gallner will be reprising the role of police detective Joel in the film. Also joining the cast is Rosemarie DeWitt, whose previous credits include La La Land and the Poltergeist remake.
As with Scott and Gage, details on DeWitt’s character are being kept under wraps. So are the plot details.
Gallner’s previous genre credits include Red, The Haunting in Connecticut, Jennifer’s Body, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Red State, The Walking Dead, The Cleanse, Alien Code, Ghosts of War, Scream, and Mother, May I?
Smile was based on Finn’s short film Laura Hasn’t Slept (watch it HERE), which won the Special Jury Recognition Prize in SXSW’s Midnight Short category. Caitlin Stasey (Neighbours) played the title character in that short, and reprises the role in Smile, making it a follow-up of sorts. Smile has the following synopsis: After witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon) starts experiencing frightening occurrences that she can’t explain. As an overwhelming terror begins taking over her life, Rose must confront her troubling past in order to survive and escape her horrifying new reality.
Stasey was joined in the cast by Sosie Bacon, Kal Penn, Kyle Gallner, Jessie T. Usher, Rob Morgan, Judy Reyes, and Gillian Zinser.
Smile was produced by Temple Hill, and they are producing Smile 2 as well.
Finn has previously said that he feels there’s a lot of interesting stuff left to explore in the world of Smile. “I would never want to just repeat myself or retread the same ground. I’d want to make sure that there’s a new, exciting, fresh way into it that the audience isn’t anticipating. I also want to find some new ways to scare them and unnerve them. But as far as how it may connect to the first one, I’d want that to be surprising as well.“
What do you think of Kyle Gallner and Rosemarie DeWitt joining the cast of the Smile sequel? Are you interested in Smile 2? Let us know by leaving a comment below.