Smile 2 Box Office Opens Globally With An Even Bigger Haul Than 2022’s Surprise Breakout Horror Hit

Smile 2 has outdone the original movie with its worldwide opening weekend. The Smile 2 release comes almost exactly two years after the original 2022 movie became the No. 1 horror release of the year worldwide, grossing $217.4 million against its slim $17 million budget. For the sequel, writer-director Parker Finn has returned to helm a story about pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) becoming cursed by the franchise’s sinister smiling entity. The cast also includes Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, and Ray Nicholson.

Per Variety, as of Sunday morning, the global opening weekend of Smile 2 is projected to hit a three-day total of $46 million. This comes from an even split of $23 million at the domestic box office and $23 million in international markets. This is about even with the original 2022 hit, though it has pulled ahead in every market, as the original grossed $22.6 million in North America and $36.5 million worldwide.

What This Means For Smile 2

Its Increased Budget Changes The Math Somewhat

The sequel about the return of the Smile curse is on track to become a hit just like the original. If it maintains its current lead, it is entirely within the realm of possibility that the 2024 horror movie could leg out to a worldwide gross of $274 million or more. This would see it outgross A Quiet Place: Day One ($261.8 million) to become the second highest-grossing horror movie of the year behind Alien: Romulus ($350.4 million).

Because a movie typically needs to earn two and a half times its budget in order to turn a profit, this likely places the break-even point for Smile 2 at about $70 million or more. It should be able to clear that total with ease, though it may not become a hit at the level of the original in terms of return on investment. The movie cost $28 million, which is an $11 million increase from the price tag of the original 2022 movie. In order to have the same level of success, it would have to earn $358 million.

Our Take On The Smile 2 Debut

The Movie’s Reception Could Boost Its Prospects

Ultimately, it remains to be seen how high the new movie can climb by the end of its run. It could receive a strong word-of-mouth boost, as Smile 2 reviews have earned it matching 83% Rotten Tomatoes scores from both critics and audiences, surpassing the original movie’s 80% and 77% scores. Should that be the case and should it avoid the horror genre’s typically harsh week 2 drop (the original dropped a miraculously low 18%), it could continue to climb at an unprecedented level.

Source: Variety

Smile 2 is the sequel to the 2022 psychological horror film by director Parker Finn that centers on a therapist who witnesses a patient’s suicide, leading to a series of terrifying supernatural events. The sequel will see the return of Finn as director, with Paramount continuing distribution.

Director

Parker Finn

Release Date

October 18, 2024

Distributor(s)

Paramount Pictures

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