‘Smile 3’ Officially Moving Forward With David Bruckner Directing, Nick Antosca Writing

David Bruckner is preparing to make horror fans smile, as the director has signed on to direct Smile 3.

via: Bloody Disgusting

Smile 3 is officially a go, but with a new creative team at the helm, according to Variety. Paramount has hired David Bruckner to direct and Nick Antosca to write the screenplay for the sequel, while Smile originator Parker Finn is occupied with Possession.

Finn will remain on board as producer and was the one who came up with the framework for the third installment. Smile and Smile 2 each saw their protagonists unravel after witnessing a traumatic event resulting in the death of someone bearing a sinister grin. It’s assumed the third will shift to a new unlucky victim of the entity.

Of course, no other details on the threequel have been divulged so far, but when previously speaking to Finn about the potential for a third film and how to beat the entity, he told Bloody Disgusting, “I want to make sure that if Smile continues, I think it could grow larger and could go in so many different directions. What’s important to me is that while we have the Smile entity and the curse as sort of this throughline, the storytelling remains very intimate and personal and really about the characters. I think Smile’s at its best when the supernatural component is a slight push that causes the human horror to explode.“

He added, “That’s really important to me and something that I hope will continue with Smile.“

Finn wrote and directed 2022’s Smile and the 2024 sequel Smile 2. The former became a huge sleeper hit, earning $105 million domestically and $217 million globally.

The franchise is being handed off to capable hands. David Bruckner is known for horror films like The Ritual, The Night House, and Hellraiser (2022), while Nick Antosca is behind series like Channel Zero, Cape Fear, and Brand New Cherry Flavor.

Finn’s new take on Possession is expected in theaters on June 11, 2027. Stay tuned for more on Smile 3 as it arrives.