News

Sylvester Stallone, Diana Ross and Jay Leno will attend amfAR's Las Vegas event this week.

amfAR’s inaugural Las Vegas fundraising gala will be held in conjunction with Ultimate Race Week at Wynn Las Vegas. The event will include dinner, a live auction, award presentations and performances, including a special exclusive performance by Diana Ross. Sylvester and Jennifer Stallone will be honored. Jay Leno will host. Amber Riley will open the night.

Who:

Diana Ross, Jay Leno, Sylvester and Jennifer Stallone, Michael Fassbender, Jodie Turner-Smith, Jeffrey Wright, Tommy and Dee Hilfiger, Amber Riley, Kat Graham, Alton Mason, Lukas Gage, Jack Flaherty, David Glasser, Brandon Sklenar, Julia Schlaepfer, Sophia Stallone, Sistine Stallone, Scarlet Stallone, Trixie Mattel, amfAR Board Co-Chairs T. Ryan Greenawalt and Kevin McClatchy, amfAR CEO Kevin Robert Frost and more.

When:

Friday, November 22, 2024

Where:

Wynn Las Vegas

About amfAR:

amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the...

We have confirmed that 1883 actress Isabel May is definitely playing the daughter of Neve Campbell’s Sidney Prescott in Spyglass Media Group’s upcoming Scream 7. The deal is locked, I’m told.

May has made a big splash for herself as Elsa Dutton in the Yellowstone prequel Paramount+ series, 1883. She also went on to play the character in its continuation series, 1923.

The latest Scream continues on with original Og castmembers Campbell, natch, but also Courteney Cox as Gale Weathers. Jenna Ortega and Melissa Barrera, who both made waves in the last two movies, 2022’s Scream and Scream VI, aren’t starring in the latest iteration as previously reported. Ortega exited due to her busy schedule on Wednesday among other projects. Barrera was fired last year after her social media posts centering around the Israel-Hamas war.

Paramount is releasing the seventhquel, just like it did with the last two movies.

Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and producer Zach Cregger (Barbarian) are keeping Companion shrouded in mystery, revealing nothing about the plot. New Companion images unveiled this morning don’t uncover the enigmatic plot, but they do give us a closer look at key characters.

Described as a sci-fi/horror movie, Companion will mark the directorial debut of Drew Hancock, who also wrote the script. At this time, plot details are under wraps.

The sci-fi horror movie will release in theaters on January 31, 2025.

The film’s cast includes Sophie Thatcher alongside Rupert Friend (Separation), Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Lukas Gage (“You”), Megan Suri (It Lives Inside), and Jack Quaid.

The new images give a close-up of Thatcher and Quaid, along with a wide shot that gives a glimpse of Gage’s character during a moment of horror. Furthermore, the new images introduce the characters’ names. Thatcher, Quaid,...

Smile 2 Box Office (North America): 5th Weekend Update ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Films with good content will always prevail in the cinemas, and the small-budget movies proved that once again this year. From Terrifier 3 to Conclave and Smile 2, they have all been performing outstandingly. Despite new releases, Naomi Scott’s horror flick also collected strong numbers on its fifth weekend. Scroll below for the deets.

This weekend, Scott’s film slipped out of the domestic top 5 list due to the arrival of Red One. However, it has not fallen far off the list. For the uninitiated, it was made on a budget of $28 million and has raked over 134% more than the budget in the US alone. It even lost a few hundred theatres this week and yet collected winning numbers.

According to BoxOfficeReport.com, Smile 2 collected a strong $2.92 million this weekend. It was playing across 2,462 locations across the United States.

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

2024 is nearly over and while we have seen some brilliant horror films come out this year I don’t think it has been such a great year for the genre. With most horror films flopping at the box office and the dreaded Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey sequel coming out it all felt wrong. But don’t worry because I have picked out the 18 best horror films that have come out this year. I haven’t ranked the films in the article and I will update the list as more films come out.

Terrifier 3 (In Theaters) Credit – Cineverse

Terrifier 3 is a Christmas supernatural slasher horror film written and directed by Damien Leone. The 2024 film is the third entry into the fan-favorite slasher franchise. It is set during the holidays and it follows Sienna and her brother...

Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review Here, watch the movie Here) reached theatres last month, with JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray praising the film as “one of the year’s best horror movies” in his 9/10 review. The movie has been doing well at the box office, pulling in about $132 million worldwide so far, and now we know when Smile 2 is going to be available to watch in the comfort of our own homes: Paramount is giving the film a digital release tomorrow, November 19th!

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,...

After scaring up $131 million at the worldwide box office, Parker Finn’s Smile 2 is headed home to Digital outlets this week, Paramount has officially announced this morning.

Watch Smile 2 at home beginning Tuesday, November 19!

Smile 2 will also be available on Digital as part of a two-movie collection with Smile and will arrive on 4K Ultra HD, in a 4K Ultra HD SteelBook, and DVD on January 21, 2025.

Fans who purchase the film on Digital or 4K Ultra HD will have access to over 40 minutes of heart-pounding bonus content. The full Special Features package includes…

Commentary by Director Parker Finn—Take a peek behind the smile with commentary from writer/director Parker Finn as he goes through the gory details of this terrifying sequel. Ear To Ear—Cast and filmmakers dive deep into the Smile universe and discuss how they brought the director’s vision to life. The Rise...

Smile 2 Box Office (Worldwide): Hits New Milestone ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Smile 2 continues to perform decently at the cinemas even with films with twice, thrice, and much bigger budgets than it. The movie was made on a reported budget of $28 million and earned over four times that at the global box office. Naomi Scott’s film is also doing well at the domestic box office, managing a spot in the top five. Scroll below for the deets.

It is the sequel to 2022’s Smile, which was also a big success. The Og movie collected an impressive $105.93 million in its domestic run and $217.40 million worldwide. Both films were directed by Parker Finn. It features Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, and Raúl Castillo.

Smile 2 was distributed by Paramount Pictures, and according to BoxOfficeReport.com, it collected a solid $5.11 million this weekend, taking the domestic cume to $60.65 million.

Update: Warner Bros. has delayed the release of Companion by three weeks, pushing it back to January 31, 2025, the date they had previously reserved for Mickey 17. That film has now moved to April.

The original article follows:

The sci-fi thriller Companion is coming our way from writer/director Drew Hancock and the team behind the 2022 horror hit Barbarian, but even though over a year has passed since the project assembled its cast and went into production, we still know very little about it. It has managed to stay shrouded in secrecy all this time. Which is a good thing, since it won’t be reaching theatres (including IMAX screens) until January… but now, the shroud is starting to be lifted, starting with the release of a teaser trailer. You can watch it in the embed above. The release date gives Companion a one week head-start on Blumhouse Productions and director...

The genre of horror films has been around for a very long time. Despite shocking and frightening audiences, this genre is very popular, and some filmmakers have made a living by creating horror films, especially after Alfred Hitchcock took the genre to new heights.

Wes Craven, John Carpenter, and George Romero are regarded as classics, but there are also a number of up-and-coming filmmakers who want to make a career in the genre.

One of them is Drew Hancock, whose upcoming sci-fi horror Companion is set to be released early next year, although we’ve just received news that the movie is being pushed back, although not by much.

As Bloody Disgusting reports, Companion has been pushed back from its initial January 10 release date, but it is still going to air in the same month, so everyone who’s expecting to see this movie won’t have to wait much...

From WB, New Line Cinema and producer Zach Cregger (Barbarian) comes the upcoming Companion, which has received a new release date.

The sci-fi horror movie has shifted from its January 10 theatrical release date to January 31, 2025.

Companion will mark the directorial debut of Drew Hancock, who also wrote the script. At this time, plot details are under wraps. In other words, we have no idea what to expect from this one, but the previously released teaser indicates a very twisted love story ahead.

“New Line Cinema—the studio that brought you The Notebook—and the unhinged creators of Barbarian cordially invite you to experience a new kind of love story,” the team previews.

If you’re feeling brave, text 978-878-5683 to Find Your Companion today.

The film’s cast includes Sophie Thatcher alongside Rupert Friend (Separation), Harvey Guillén (“What We Do in the Shadows”), Lukas Gage (“You”), Megan Suri (It Lives Inside...

Spoiler Alert !!!Spoilers for Smile 2, which is currently in theaters

Smile 2 has received a positive welcome from the audience just like its predecessor. Parker Finn decided to go big with the sequel, setting his story in a big city and casting Naomi Scott in the lead role as world-famous pop star Skye Riley. The Smile Entity, a large skinless humanoid creature, appears to be the only shared aspect in both films, with the exception of Kyle Gallner returning briefly as Joel.

Naomi Scott as Skye Riley in Smile 2 | Credits: Paramount Pictures

In an attempt to pass on the curse, Joel tries to kill a drug dealer with another dealer as a witness. However, drug dealer Lewis ends up being the inadvertent witness and flees the scene, after inheriting the curse. Skye, who is traumatized by a car crash that killed her boyfriend, relies on Lewis for her Vicodin supply.

Writer/director Parker Finn’s sequel to his 2022 horror film Smile (read our review Here, watch the movie Here) reached theatres last month, with JoBlo’s own Chris Bumbray praising the film as “one of the year’s best horror movies” in his 9/10 review. The movie has been doing well at the box office, pulling in $110 million worldwide so far, and now Paramount has decided to pull a new marketing stunt: as reported by Deadline, Paramount will let you watch the first 7 minutes of Smile 2 on this website – but to do so, you’ll have to smile into your webcam for the duration. As Deadline notes, “anywhere between a light smile to a full-out Cheshire Cat leer” will do. “If you’re thinking that you can somehow outsmart the tech, think again: The webpage, which flashes your image green upon smiling, expeditiously changes to flash a red outline at the drop of the smile.

You can watch a seven-minute free excerpt of Paramount’s new horror flick Smile 2 online — but the grin you’ll need to plaster on your face is not included.

That’s right: The studio has pulled out yet another ad stunt, requiring watchers to hold anywhere between a light smile to a full-out Cheshire Cat leer to view the film’s first seven minutes. Launched for Halloween, the webpage requires an age verification before users are directed to a screen asking for permissions to be granted for camera access. Then, the screen prompts viewers to smile and hold it for the following seven minutes of Parker Finn’s follow-up to the 2022 original pic.

If you’re thinking that you can somehow outsmart the tech, think again: The webpage, which flashes your image green upon smiling, expeditiously changes to flash a red outline at the drop of the smile. The screen then goes black,...

The first seven minutes of “Smile 2” is the most I’ve ever smiled watching a horror movie — if only for the reason that the movie made me do it.

Paramount has released the intro of its horror sequel “Smile 2” onto the web for free. But in order to watch it, the website hosting the clip forces you to smile into your webcam the entire time.

And yes, it really works (and stops working if you drop the grin). Try it for yourself here; the website requires age verification.

To do it, you’ll have to activate your web camera on your laptop or phone, and in a small picture-in-picture window alongside the film clip, you’ll see your own face smiling back at you. If you stop smiling like a maniac for even a moment, the playback pauses and turns to black, with a message that says “Keep Smiling.

It’s possible to check out the opening minutes of “Smile 2” online for free if you’re willing to be a bit creepy.

Paramount set up a website on Halloween where visitors could watch the first 7 minutes of “Smile 2.” The trick to get access to the opening is to flip on your camera and hold a smile. If you stop smiling at any moment during the clip, the camera registers it and the video cuts off. The pause video only continues once you put a smile back on your face.

Crack and hold a smile and watch the first seven minutes of the film here.

The film is a sequel to Parker Finn’s 2022 original “Smile.” The films follow people dealing with repressed trauma in their past being haunted by visions of people following them around with rictus grins until it eventually drives them to kill themselves. The...

You can now watch the opening of “Smile 2” for free — as long as you’re willing to smile, too.

The sequel to Parker Finn’s 2022 horror feature “Smile,” was released in theaters on Oct. 18, but Paramount has crafted a fun method for fans to watch the first seven minutes of the film without any cost.

With the official launch of a “Smile 2” website on Halloween, fans can immerse themselves in the world of the “Smile” universe by turning on their camera and putting on a grin. If at some point during the seven-minute clip viewers stop smiling, the responsive technology will pause the video.

Watch the first seven minutes the link here.

“About to embark on a world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her past,...

Exclusive: After signing on to a handful of promising indies, 1883 breakout Isabel May has come aboard to star opposite Past Lives‘ Teo Yoo in Karoshi, the mysterious action thriller that Takashi Doscher wrote and will direct for Lionsgate.

May’s role is being kept under wraps, as is the plot of the film, which is described as a corporate thriller with a samurai twist. 87Eleven Entertainment’s Chad Stahelski, Alex Young, and Jason Spitz will produce as one of the first projects through their first-look production deal with Lionsgate.

Best known for her breakout role of Elsa Dutton in Taylor Sheridan’s Western drama 1883, which she reprised as narrator of 1923 — another of Sheridan’s prequels to hit Paramount+ series Yellowstone — May is coming off of a role in Apple TV+’s starry miniseries Masters of the Air.

Upcoming projects for May include the horror film Menace, which she also...

Parker Finn’s directorial debut “Smile” became one of the biggest breakout hits of the 2022 horror movie season, despite initially being planned to be released directly on Paramount+. The film is centered on the therapist Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), who discovers that a supernatural entity is causing people to experience traumatic breakdowns and burst out into violence. The signature sign of being possessed is that the victim can’t stop smiling; the curse is only passed on to the next inhabitant after they witness someone dying.

Although Rose dies at the end of the first “Smile” film, she ends up passing the curse to her ex-boyfriend Joel (Kyle Gallner), a police officer who now tries to give it to another victim by forcing someone to bear witness to a murder. At the beginning of “Smile 2,” Joel succeeds in killing a drug dealer in front of Lewis Fregoli (Lukas Gage...

Smile On Ott Release Date Revealed ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Smile 2, led by Naomi Scott, is already a box-office success and continues earning money. The movie is now set to impress a wider audience as it is set to be released on Ott platforms. It was released in theatres last month and ruled at #1 in the domestic box office list until Venom: The Last Dance was released. Scroll below to find out how and where to watch it online.

About the movie-

It is the sequel to the 2022 psychological supernatural horror flick. The latest movie was directed by Parker Finn and features Naomi Scott in the lead role of a pop star. She begins to experience a series of highly disturbing events as she is about to go on tour. The sequel also features Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, and Raúl Castillo. Only...

Directed by Parker Finn, Smile 2, the highly anticipated sequel to the 2022 horror hit, has spooked its way to box office success since its release on October 18. This Halloween season, it’s become a must-watch for horror fans, racking up over $23 million domestically during its opening weekend and holding onto a top spot at theaters. While Venom: The Last Dance dominated the weekend, Smile 2 landed a strong second place, but it didn’t stop there. The film has recently passed one of its biggest horror competitors at the global box office, marking yet another victory in its climb up the rankings.

The defeated rival? M. Night Shyamalan’s Trap, a thriller about a serial killer who haunts a concert crowd, didn’t quite hit the mark with audiences. Trap pulled in $82 million, sitting at 43rd place among 2024’s top box-office earners, but Smile 2 has just leapfrogged it with an $84 million tally,...

Smile 2 is an excellent choice for Halloween horror viewing and Paramount has released seven minutes from the movie that you can watch right now! But, in a fun twist, you have to keep your camera on and smile in order for the video to play. Any time you stop smiling, the video stops :)

To check out the experience, visit the website at https://apps.paramountpictures.com/movie/smile/web/smile-player/us/

"About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control."

Produced By

Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey, Isaac Klausner, Parker Finn, Robert Salerno

Written & Directed By

Parker Finn

Cast

Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage,...

Parker Finn’s Smile 2 is now playing in theaters for Halloween, and Paramount has come up with a really unique way to allow you to watch the film’s first 7 minutes online… for free!

An official Smile 2 website has been launched this morning, Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned, with a clip on the front page featuring that opening sequence… but there’s a catch…

The website asks users to turn on their camera and smile in-order for the video to play. It’s responsive so if you aren’t smiling, the video will stop! Can you smile through the scares?

Watch the first 7 minutes of Smile 2 right now… but only if you Smile!

In Smile 2, “About to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events.

“Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame,...

Production is now underway on writer/director Ted Evans’ debut thriller “Retreat,” starring Anne Zander, James Boyle and Sophie Stone, with Ace Mahbaz and Anna Seymore rounding out the cast.

The film, featuring an all-deaf principal cast (Evans is also deaf), is set in an isolated deaf community, where cracks begin to appear in Matt’s (Boyle) seemingly idyllic world when the arrival of enigmatic outsider Eva (Zander) forces him to question the realities of his identity. Is Matt prepared to discover what lies beneath the surface of his supposedly utopian community and the costs demanded to maintain it?

XYZ Films is handling worldwide sales on “Retreat” as a part of their New Visions slate of films, an initiative designed to spotlight the boldest new voices alongside established talent striking a new path in the international space. It will be introducing the film to buyers at the upcoming American Film Market.

Smile 2 Box Office (Worldwide): 2nd Weekend Update( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Naomi Scott’s Skye Riley, a famous pop star in Smile 2, is being praised online after the film’s theatrical release. Fans are calling her character one of the best fictional pop stars of the years. The film is also performing well at the box office despite the release of Venom: The Last Dance. Keep scrolling for the deets.

Scott began her with Disney Channel’s Life Bites. In 2019, she featured in the action comedy Charlie’s Angels, the fantasy film Aladdin, and has featured in the Netflix thriller Anatomy of a Scandal. She has gained wider recognition with this 2024 release. Besides Scott, the film also featured a dynamic cast comprising Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Peter Jacobson, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, and more. It also featured Drew Barrymore as herself interviewing Skye on her talk show.

Naomi Scott’s film costs $28 million,...

Spoiler Warning: This article contains spoilers for Smile 2.

Writer/Director Parker Finn goes bigger and harder in every way when it comes to the horror in Smile 2. That includes the film’s finale, topping the original’s ghastly monstrosity reveal on a much larger scale.

The sequel follows global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), who begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events right as she’s preparing to embark on a world tour.

Smile 2, leaning harder into its R-rating this round, doesn’t waste any time addressing the fate of Joel (Kyle Gallner), the kind police officer who received the horrific curse at the end of Smile. Any hopes that Joel would take center stage in Smile 2 were quelled immediately with the hyper-violent opening sequence that saw his character suffer a rather gruesome demise, but not before passing his affliction to drug dealer Lewis Fregoli...

Warning: The following contains major spoilers for Smile and Smile 2.

Trauma has always been a staple of the horror genre. In his classic (1977) novel The Shining, Stephen King wrote, “Monsters are real, and ghosts are real too. They live inside us, and sometimes, they win.” No modern genre creator embodies the darker side of this aphorism like Parker Finn. The writer/director’s burgeoning Smile franchise brings suffering to life with an apparition that feeds on the pain we carry inside us. And unlike the more hopeful messages in modern trauma allegories, Finn’s monsters too often emerge victorious.

Smile follows Dr. Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), a psychiatrist who works long hours helping her patients to avoid addressing her own mental health. When Rose witnesses a particularly brutal suicide, she becomes the new target for a terrifying creature that delights in twisting her sense of reality. This cruel beast exacerbates...

Two years after the first film struck gold at the box office, director Parker Finn is back with Paramount’s sequel Smile 2, which opened wide at the box office over the weekend.

Across 3,619 U.S. theaters, Smile 2 topped the box office and swallowed up an estimated $23 million in its domestic debut, the film’s worldwide opening weekend hitting $46 million.

In addition to hitting the #1 spot on the domestic box office charts, Smile 2 also opened higher than its predecessor. Back in 2022, Smile opened to $22.6 million in the United States.

The first Smile movie went on to scare up $217.4 million worldwide, a number that Smile 2 hopes to reach – and surpass – in the coming weeks. The budget for Smile 2 was a reported $28 million, a bit higher than the first film’s spend, and it will turn a profit in a matter of days.

Meagan Navarro raves in her...

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The much-awaited sequel of the brilliant 2022 psychological mystery horror thriller film Smile is finally here and thankfully it doesn’t suck. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the 2024 film follows a young pop star who begins to experience a series of disturbing events while on tour. Overwhelmed by the horrors she must face her dark past to regain her sanity. Smile 2 stars Naomi Scott in the lead role with Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, and Rosemarie Dewitt starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the psychological horror, thrilling story, and compelling characters in Smile 2 here are some similar movies you should check out next.

It Follows Credit – Northern Lights Films

It Follows is a supernatural horror thriller film written and directed by David Robert Mitchell. The 2014 film follows the story of a teenager...

As Smile 2 continues scaring up bigger audiences than its popular predecessor at the global and domestic box offices, director Parker Finn is providing some insight into the decisions that went into the making of his horror sequel.

While speaking to Entertainment Weekly, the Smile helmer said he “totally” cast actor Ray Nicholson in the Naomi Scott starrer as an homage to his “favorite film of all time” — Stanley Kubrick’s pioneering classic, The Shining.

“I think I’m always trying to reference The Shining,” he said.

“With Ray, he auditioned for that role. The audition was so strong. Of course, Jack Nicholson is one of my favorite actors of all time. I love that Ray has very strong genes, and his smile, instantly, I was like, ‘Oh my God, it’s like looking at a young Jack.'”

He continued, “What really struck me was how well he slipped...

Smile 2 brings back the eerie grins and skincrawling suspense from the first film but amps it up with stronger scares, brutal gore, and a killer performance from Naomi Scott. Written and directed by Parker Finn, the movie continues to explore the curse that spreads through witnessing violent deaths, but this time with a slick, high-stakes story centered on a troubled pop star. The result is a stylish, intense sequel that keeps the thrills coming.

“…a stylish, intense sequel that keeps the thrills coming.”

Smile 2 kicks off with ex-cop Joel (Kyle Gallner) attempting to transfer the Smile Entity’s curse by staging a violent confrontation in a house full of baddies. It doesn’t go so smoothly. The curse then jumps to low-level drug dealer Lewis Fregoli (Lukas Gage), who happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and eventually makes its way to pop star...

Shania Twain with her best-selling albums and hit songs is rightly called the “Queen of Country Pop.” The Canadian singer has topped several music charts throughout her life and has sold millions of records throughout her decades-long career. While she has been acing her professional life, her personal life on the other hand has been raising some eyebrows at the moment.

Shania Twain in Forever and For Always music video | Credits: YouTube

In an interesting turn of events, an insider has revealed some bombshell bedroom secrets about the singer. That has apparently caused a great deal of stress to her husband.

Frédéric Thiébaud Apparently Worried About Shania Twain’s Newfound Energy

Shania Twain with her melodious tunes and albums has captivated music fans for several years now. And has even won several prestigious awards for her remarkable contribution in the industry. While everything was working out well in her professional life,...

Paramount and Temple Hill are grinning widely.

Their new movie, Smile 2, is winning the domestic box office race with an estimated $23 million after earning $9.4 million on Friday, including more than $2 million in previews. That would put the film’s debut just ahead of the first Smile, a sleeper hit that opened to $22.6 million in late September 2022 on its way to grossing more than $217 million worldwide against a $17 million budget.

Once again written and directed by Parker Finn, the film follows a malevolent spirit that jumps hosts via a diabolical grin, this time infecting a troubled pop star (Naomi Scott) with a ton of trauma to feed on, according to The Hollywood Reporter‘s review of the film. Scott stars opposite Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt and Miles Gutierrez-Riley. This time the budget was $28 million, which is a modest sum for a major studio.

Smile 2 earned a B CinemaScore from audiences,...

Lukas Gage stars in Paramount Pictures Presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn FIlm “Smile 2” Photo Credit: Paramount Pictures After Smile became a horror hit in 2022, news of a sequel soon followed. Writer/director Parker Finn has spoken of how he anticipates the Smile franchise will develop and grow, with each new film ratcheting up the overall story another level while simultaneously becoming more and more outrageous. When Lukas Gage was given the opportunity to take a role in Smile 2, he wondered how Finn was going to make the sequel different from the first film. Gage said he found that Finn had a perfect vision for building upon the Smile mythology. (Click on the media bar below to hear Lukas Gage) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Lucas_Gage_Smile_2_.mp3 Smile 2 is now playing in theaters.

The post Lukas Gage: ‘Smile 2’ Is Even Wider...

Ray Nicholson, the son of the legendary actor Jack Nicholson, recently shared insights about his connection with his father while promoting his latest horror film, Smile 2.

During the movie’s premiere on Monday, October 14, Ray, 32, spoke with Deadline, calling his father, Jack Nicholson, 87, both his “inspiration” and “hero.”

Highlighting His Differences From His Father

While discussing his father’s impact on him, Ray highlighted their differences. “We’re very different people,” Ray explained. “I was born in 1992, he was born in 1937. The things that affect me don’t necessarily affect him. Obviously, I love him. He’s my inspiration.”

Ray further added that having regular dinners with his father was an essential part of his upbringing: “I ate dinner with him every night. I studied it, that’s how I learned to be a human being. So of course we’re gonna be kind of similar.”

Ray also shared...

Nepotism has become one of the most criticized aspects of the film industry. However, the hatred towards it is not unjust. While many celebrities have been criticized for using familial connections to get an advantage in Hollywood, there are those who prove their worth to the world. The most recent example seems to be Jack Nicholson’s son.

Jack Nicholson in The Shining | Credit: Warner Bros

Recently, Ray Nicholson starred in the sequel to Parker Finn’s Smile. Although the film has several very strong performances, audiences cannot help but notice how good the actor was in the project, even comparing him to his father.

Jack Nicholson’s Son Has Been Waiting Patiently

Ray Nicholson has been acting for over a decade now. From Prime Video’s criminally underrated series, Panic, to Something from Tiffany’s, and 2022’s Out of the Blue, he has appeared in several different kinds of projects,...

This article contains mild spoilers for "Smile 2."

As I write this article, the third installment of the gore-laden "Terrifier" series is obliterating the competition at the box office, a win for independent film, extreme horror, and non-studio-owned IP everywhere. Lifelong horror fans are no strangers to films with the same levels of ultraviolence and blood-soaked mania on glorious display, but these scenes are overwhelmingly found in independent or underground horror movies. This isn't to say that studio-backed horror films are incapable of bringing the pain, but even looking at something as notoriously grisly as the "Saw" series, the graphic depictions are stylized. Shots of dismembered limbs or meat being torn from the bone are interspersed between adventurous camera movement, cleverly spaced reactions to the carnage, and juuuuust enough of the gruesome goodies to throw the audience's imagination into overdrive. It's taking a page out of Alfred Hitchcock's handbook...

“Smile 2” is back and bringing new and bigger scares.

The horror sequel continues and this time follows Naomi Scott as a pop sensation who is forced to face her traumatic past after increasingly horrific events begin happening to her. The film is once again written and directed by Parker Finn.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new movie, how to watch “Smile 2” right now and where to expect it on streaming.

When does “Smile 2” come out?

“Smile 2” opened in theaters Friday, Oct. 18.

Is “Smile 2” streaming or in theaters?

Right now, “Smile 2” is only available in theaters. The only way to see it is to buy a movie ticket. The date of the horror sequel’s streaming premiere isn’t known yet but it’ll be on Paramount+ a few months after it’s theatrical run ends.

Find “Smile 2” showtimes and...

Throughout the week, there has been a trickle of news about The Running Man, a Stephen King adaptation from director Edgar Wright. Yesterday, Deadline reported that Josh Brolin had been cast in the project in an unnamed villain role opposite the previously cast Glen Powell and Katy O'Brien. Then, today...

Spoilers for "Smile" and "Smile 2" follow.

Horror sequels are often unlike other sequels. Since the nature of horror movies often dictates that a lot of people end up dead by the time the end credits roll, sequels often have to resort to going off in new directions with brand new characters. But that doesn't mean there isn't some connective tissue linking them together. "Smile 2" (read our review for the sequel here) does indeed introduce us to a brand new main character — tormented pop starr Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott. And that makes sense, since the main character the first movie, Rose Cotter (Sosie Bacon), ended up dying during the movie's big climax.

To recap: the "Smile" movies are about a demonic force that infects people like a disease. To "catch" this infection, a victim fist witnesses someone dying by suicide (the suicide is actually caused by the...

Stars: Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, Lukas Gage, Raúl Castillo | Written and Directed by Parker Finn

The original Smile became a sleeper hit for writer/director Parker Finn in 2022, so it’s no surprise that the film has generated a sequel just two years later, especially given its obvious franchise potential. It’s particularly gratifying to find Finn back in both the writer’s and the director’s chairs, because he’s surely one of the finest jump scare orchestrators in the business.

Smile 2 picks up six days after the events of the first movie, as desperate cop Joel (a briefly returning Kyle Gallner) tries and fails to get rid of the cursed entity that infects each host and makes them see grotesquely grinning figures, before eventually killing themselves, while also wearing a monstrous smile.

We then meet the entity’s latest potential victim, pop star...

Turn those box office frowns upside down, because “Smile 2,” the sequel to Paramount’s surprise horror hit, is opening this weekend.

The film, written and directed once again by Parker Finn, has made $2.5 million in Thursday previews so far at the box office. In comparison, the 2022 original film made $2 million in previews back in the first weekend of October.

“Smile 2,” which continues the demonic, grin-filled horror, is expected to make anywhere from $20 million to $25 million in its opening weekend, but some projections are even higher. The first movie, which was originally made for a streaming release, had a $22.6 million opening in 2022. It became a successful sleeper hit with $105 million domestically and $217 million globally at the box office by the end of its run.

With a $28 million production budget, “Smile 2” stands to be another low-cost horror hit for Paramount. After the first movie introduced the smile-inducing, demonic force...

Prepare for Parker Finn’s upcoming horror sequel Smile 2 to go bigger and harder when it comes to the horror. The first film scared up $217 million back in 2022, but Finn isn’t coasting for the sequel or holding back when it comes to the scares.

Smile 2 opens wide in theaters on October 18, 2024, and it’s been rated R for “Strong bloody violent content, grisly images, language throughout, and drug use.”

The sequel follows global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), who begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events right as she’s preparing to embark on a world tour. What’s clear straight away is that the R-rating is earned; the entity tormenting Skye gets far more violent than in the last outing. Is that heightened savagery a byproduct of it progressively getting stronger with every host, picking up from Smile, or is that really more of a...

Naomi Scott stars in Paramount Pictures presents A Temple Hill Production A Parker Finn Film “Smile 2.” Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Usually an infectious smile is a good thing but not if you are in a Smile horror movie, where a creepy smile is the last thing you see before a contagious form of deadly of madness infects you. The first Smile scared audiences, with an actress sporting one creepy smile in the poster and trailer, even before they saw the movie. In the original hit horror movie Smile, that creepy smile was the signal that this infection about to jump from one person, as the smiling victim commits suicide in front of a hapless soul who becomes the next victim. In Smile, we followed the path of the horrific infection as it jumped from victim to victim, but in Smile 2 we concentrate more on one person.

Writer/director...

Chicago – The sequel to the surprise horror hit “Smile” won’t give you anything to turn your frown upside down. It’s longer and gorier than the original, but it yields precious few surprises and is an ultimately pointless exercise in commerce and drudgery.

For those who skipped the original, an ancient metaphysical demon possesses its target via a big toothy grin from its latest victim. Then within one week it forces its new host to commit suicide in front of a witness, to continue the cycle. Our protagonist here is a troubled pop star (Naomi Scott) who makes Britney Spears look like the rock solid symbol of sanity. She’s recovering from substance abuse and a deadly car wreck that killed her boyfriend, plus is about to launch a world tour.

”Smile 2” is in theaters on October 18th. Featuring Naomi Scott, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Rosemarie DeWitt and Drew Barrymore.

This article contains massive spoilers for "Smile 2."

Although "trauma" became a buzzword that has recently invaded every press interview and social media post regarding a horror film, it's important to make the distinction that trauma lies at the very core of horror. In other words, every single horror movie, on some level, is about trauma. What writer/director Parker Finn cleverly did with his debut feature, 2022's "Smile," is make that implicit element explicit, crafting a horror movie where trauma itself is the villain.

Sure, the plot of the film involves a mysterious demon who is behind the horrific events, an entity that spreads itself through humanity by first spending a week or so destroying its victim's lives and their defenses, then possessing them and making them violently die by suicide in front of a witness, with that witness becoming the next infected host. It's a very J-Horror concept,...

What are you looking for in a sequel? Dependable familiarity or narrative evolutions? Parker Finn's Smile 2 is a sharper, meaner, and despicably addictive amplification of Smile that doesn’t tamper with what works. Finn's execution of trauma-driven haunts is an upgrade across the board, albeit recognizable. It's funnier, flashier, scarier, and doesn't feign complacency even for a millisecond. Smile 2 is an invigoration of exposed demonic templates (typed by someone lukewarm on Finn's successful original). Move over, Lady Raven; Skye Riley's taking center stage.

Naomi Scott is a knockout as pop music megastar Skye Riley, an ex-addict who's just announced her hotly anticipated "Welcome Back" tour. She's a sober and rebranded shell of herself but pushes forward, driven by the pressures of not letting down her ravenous fans, profiting record executives (Raúl Castillo), or supportive loved ones. Skye's mother and acting manager, Elizabeth (Rosemarie DeWitt), keeps a...

Every horror movie franchise operates according to its own set of rules, so in the spirit of public service, we’ll offer a refresher on the parameters of filmmaker Parker Finn’s 2022 directorial debut Smile. There’s a supernatural parasite who feeds on trauma and attaches itself to an unwilling host. Side effects may include: paranoia, insanity, hallucinations involving friends and loved ones beaming ear to ear like they’re auditioning for a biopic on the Joker, suicidal ideation, and actual suicide. After six or seven days, the unlucky recipient...

It’s easy to imagine a sequel to Smile. Something grosser, louder, and more interested in lore than scares, squeezing whatever juice remained in the original’s watered-down version of those A24 trauma creepers. Writer-director Parker Finn crafted an enjoyable, if grating, version of better movies with Kubrick-lite compositions...

Un elenco estelar encabezará la nueva película de Joey Power.

De acuerdo con Variety, Chloë Grace Moretz (Kick-Ass: Listo para machacar), Anthony Ramos (Twisters), Manny Jacinto (Nueve perfectos extraños), Isabel May (Los amos del aire), Lukas Gage (Road House. De profesión: duro) y Billie Lourd (The Last Showgirl) protagonizarán Love Language.

Dirigida y escrita por Joey Power (After Everything), Love Language se presenta como una comedia romántica, aunque los detalles de la trama se mantienen en secreto.

El rodaje de la película comenzará a mediados de octubre en Chicago, Illinois.

¡SÍGUENOS!

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The post Chloë Grace Moretz, Anthony Ramos, Manny Jacinto y Lukas Gage protagonizarán la comedia romántica ‘Love Language’. first appeared on mundoCine.

The post Chloë Grace Moretz, Anthony Ramos, Manny Jacinto y Lukas Gage protagonizarán la comedia romántica ‘Love Language’. first appeared on mundoCine.