- Primary Subject: Smile 3
- Key Update: Paramount Pictures is officially moving forward on Smile 3, with a new director.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: October 29, 2026
- Quick Answer: Paramount has greenlit Smile 3, hiring David Bruckner to direct as franchise creator Parker Finn steps back to produce while directing a Possession remake.
The third installment of Smile is officially moving forward, with a new director taking over the creative reins of the horror franchise.
Following the critical and box office success of the second film in 2024, fans have been wondering whether a third movie is in the works and will continue the mythology through a different story and a new set of twisted characters who will be under the spell of the supernatural entity.
Now, the long-awaited next chapter is finally happening.
Smile 3 Finds New Director
Variety confirmed that Paramount Pictures is officially working on the third Smile movie, as they have hired a new director who will take charge of the installment.
David Bruckner, who helmed The Night House and the 2022 remake of Hellraiser, will be directing the next chapter of the Smile saga. He took over the job from Parker Finn, who directed the previous films and is still involved as a producer.
Finn will not be able to work on the new installment due to his involvement in the Possession remake that was in production this year and is set to release in theaters next year.
So far, the plot details regarding Smile 3 are still under wraps. Nick Antosca is working on the script. There is no cast attached yet, nor any information regarding when they are planning to begin production.
Given that the previous films were standalone stories (where both the main characters died), it is likely that the third movie will follow a similar path. For now, stay tuned for more details regarding the project in the coming months.
The History of the Smile Franchise
In the first Smile movie, after witnessing a bizarre, traumatic incident involving a patient, a psychiatrist becomes increasingly convinced she is being threatened by an uncanny entity.
It ended up being a major box office success, as it grossed more than $200 million worldwide on a $17 million production budget.
A sequel, Smile 2, was released in 2024. It follows global pop sensation Skye Riley, who begins experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her past. It also had critical and audience success, with Naomi Scott's performance receiving praise.
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