Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review HERE, watch the movie HERE) is aiming for an October 18th theatrical release date – and our friends at Bloody Disgusting have noticed that a viral marketing campaign for Smile 2 appears to be underway. Billboards promoting a previously unheard of pop star named Skye Riley have popped up in Los Angeles and London, there’s a Skye Riley fan account on Instagram, an official website – and these promos come with the promise that the new single “Blood on White Satin” is set to be released on June 18th. The suspicion is that Skye Riley is the lead character Naomi Scott of Aladdin and Charlie’s Angels plays in Smile 2, and that the first trailer for the film might be unveiled on June 18th.
This would make sense, as a trailer for Smile 2 was already screened at CinemaCon back in April, and JoBlo’s own Lance Vlcek reported that Naomi Scott plays a pop star in the film. Here’s what Lance wrote about the trailer: Story appears to be set around a Taylor Swift type of mega-star artist (Naomi Scott) who gets sucked into the curse of Smile. The sequel has a bigger budget and slicker look, seems to be bigger in scope. There was a very cool scene where a crowd of people under control of the entity are in a tight backstage hallway chasing Naomi Scott, all of them smiling in that creepy way. Plot-wise, it doesn’t give much away. It was a montage of creepy imagery, jump scares, and a whole lot of creepy people smiling.
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.
Smile was produced by Temple Hill, and they are producing Smile 2 as well. Scott is joined in the cast by Lukas Gage of The White Lotus and You, Rosemarie DeWitt of La La Land and the Poltergeist remake, Dylan Gelula of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Dream Scenario, Raúl Castillo of Army of the Dead and Knives Out, Miles Gutierrez-Riley of The Wilds and On The Come Up, and Kyle Gallner (Red State), reprising the role he played in the first movie.
Are you looking forward to learning more about Smile 2 and Skye Riley? Let us know by leaving a comment below.