Smile 3 Officially Confirmed With New Director After Original Creator Steps Down

Smile 3 is officially happening, but this time, creator Parker Finn will not be returning as the director. Finn helmed the first two films in the Smile franchise, and both were horror hits. However, this time, David Bruckner will be taking over directing duties on the horror threequel, while Finn continues on as a producer (via Variety).

The Smile franchise has become one of the most profitable horror movie franchises in Hollywood, and a third film will no doubt expand its lore. While story details of the threequel have not been revealed yet, it could be a standalone story like its predecessors. Here is everything we know about the upcoming movie.

Parker Finn Chose Possession Remake Over His Smile Franchise

A still from Smile | Credits: Paramount

Director Parker Finn based the lore of the first Smile movie on his own short film, Laura Hasn’t Slept. The movie follows a therapist who begins to experience supernatural events after she witnesses the death of one of her clients. It was made on a budget of $17 million and grossed $217 million worldwide, with Paramount joining as a distributor (via The Numbers). 

Finn came back for the sequel, Smile 2, which followed a completely different character, played by Naomi Scott. The film was not as big a hit as its predecessor, but still earned $138 million against a $28 million budget, warranting a sequel (via The Numbers). However, Variety confirmed that Finn would not be returning as the director, but he has provided the framework for the franchise to continue.

The filmmaker will instead be focusing on a remake of Possession next. A remake of the 1981 horror film by Andrzej Zulawski, which starred Sam Neill; the film will be produced by Robert Pattinson and will see Finn collaborating with Paramount again (via Deadline). It stars Margaret Qualley, Callum Turner, and Paul Dano.

This is a giant leap for Finn, who has until now worked on limited budgets and with his own original story. Taking up a movie that is in the horror Hall of Fame is a pretty big decision for the filmmaker, especially leaving the future of his own franchise in someone else’s hands.

David Bruckner’s Past Works Give a Fresh Spin on Smile 3

Pinhead in Hellraiser | Credits: Hulu/Paramount

While Parker Finn will take up horror royalty with the Possession remake, his own horror franchise will be taken over by David Bruckner. Finn has reportedly given the framework for Smile 3 and remains as producer, but Bruckner will be taking it forward creatively. Chances are that it will be another standalone story like its predecessors.

David Bruckner, on the other hand, is a pretty safe option for the franchise. He has been a pure horror filmmaker since the beginning of his career. Having directed the V/H/S anthology films and the 2017 horror hit, The Ritual, he too made a giant leap with the reboot of Hellraiser. While the film was a straight-to-Hulu release, it received mixed to positive reviews.

Bruckner has a lot of projects lined up. He is reportedly developing a remake of the classic horror hit, The Blob, with Hellraiser producer David S. Goyer reuniting with him. He is also signed on to direct the adaptation of The Caretaker, with Sydney Sweeney set to star (via THR). He will also be directing Mice for A24. He pretty much has his hands full with legacy projects.

David Bruckner is someone who can take Smile 3 to new heights, as he has experience handling legacy horror movie franchises. Joining him is writer Nick Antosca, who recently adapted Martin Scorsese’s Cape Fear for Apple TV+ as a miniseries starring Javier Bardem. The creative team behind the threequel is rock solid.

Are you excited for Smile 3? Comment your thoughts below.