Paramount’s Smile 2 has started off its box office journey on a high note, grossing $23 million in its opening weekend. With 1.6 million admissions, the horror sequel performed slightly better than its predecessor, which earned $22.6 million during its debut in 2022. The film saw a $9.4 million opening day on Friday and a strong $8.1 million on Saturday, holding well with only a 15% drop from the preview night and securing a solid B Cinema Score (an improvement from the B- of the first film).
Paramount Rides High with Multiple Hits
The success of Smile 2 marks Paramount’s fourth No. 1 film this year, following hits like Mean Girls, Bob Marley: One Love, and IF. The studio continues its winning streak as it prepares for the upcoming merger with Skydance. The positive reception of Smile 2 comes alongside excitement for Gladiator II, which was previewed for the press and actors, receiving glowing reactions.
Naomi Scott on the Success of “Smile 2”
Naomi Scott, one of the stars of Smile 2, attended the Academy Museum Gala and expressed her excitement about the movie’s success. “The communal experience of watching Smile 2 is such a roller coaster. It gives you everything you want from a horror movie, but it’s also a character-driven piece. It’s fun, unhinged, and Parker Finn did an amazing job,” she said, referring to the film’s director and writer.
Expanding the “Smile” Universe: A Visionary Sequel
Paramount’s Domestic Distribution Chief, Chris Aronson, praised Finn for taking the Smile universe to new heights. “Parker really expanded the Smile universe beyond expectations. He’s a visionary director who created something truly special.”
Unique Marketing Strategy for “Smile 2”
The promotional campaign for Smile 2 was both innovative and immersive. The marketing began with an in-world campaign for pop star Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott, featuring billboards, chalk stencil art, and wild postings throughout Los Angeles. As the campaign transitioned to promoting the film, a new single titled “Grieved You” was released, followed by a lyric video and music video, culminating in releasing a Smile 2 EP on streaming platforms. The campaign also included a collaboration with the fashion brand Valas, tapping into Latino and Hispanic moviegoers with a unique collection featuring smile iconography.
Multi-City Marketing Stunts and Video Game Tie-In
Smile 2 engaged fans in major cities like Austin, New York, Miami, Chicago, Mexico City, London, and Los Angeles, with actors dressed as eerie smiling characters who stared at passersby from hotel and office windows. In addition, the film partnered with the popular video game franchise Call of Duty to offer a game-themed bundle where players could don the movie’s signature creepy smile.
Box Office Stats: Audience and Market Demographics
According to EntTelligence, Smile 2 accounted for nearly a third of all theater traffic over the weekend, followed by Wild Robot with 16% and Terrifier 3 with 13%. Evening shows were particularly strong, with 71% of viewers attending after 5 PM. PostTrak exit polls showed that 31% of the audience for the R-rated horror film were men over 25, with the 18-34 demographic representing close to 70% of attendees. The audience breakdown included 40% Caucasian, 35% Latino/Hispanic, 15% Black, and 7% Asian. Over a third of the audience, 34%, attended because they are fans of the franchise.
The movie performed well coast-to-coast, with Canada contributing nearly 10% of the box office despite having just 8% of the total locations. The top-performing theater was Regal Times Square in New York, grossing $47,000 by Saturday. Other high-performing markets included Los Angeles, Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, and Montreal.
Social Media Buzz and Positive Word of Mouth
Smile 2 gained significant traction on social media, with 154.4 million followers across platforms like TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. This surpasses other recent horror films such as Saw X and The Nun II. Fans eagerly anticipated the sequel, sharing positive word of mouth and appreciating the new elements of suspense and psychological horror added to the franchise. One fan shared, “The first Smile was all about the psychological aspect of the curse, but this one feels equally terrifying while bringing in more social elements.”
Other Box Office Performances: A24 and NEON Make Waves
In other box office news, A24’s We Live in Time grossed $4.18 million with a solid theater average, while NEON’s Anora, directed by Cannes Palme d’Or winner Sean Baker, is on track to post one of the highest per-theater averages since COVID, with $90,000 at six theaters. Anora received stellar reviews and strong ticket sales, particularly in markets like New York and Los Angeles. NEON Distribution Boss Elissa Federoff expressed excitement about the film’s critical and audience reception, calling it a testament to the enduring power of theatrical releases.
A Solid Weekend for Horror and Adult Films
Despite Smile 2’s strong debut, the overall weekend box office was down 15% compared to last year. Nevertheless, the horror genre continues to thrive, with Smile 2, Wild Robot, and Terrifier 3 contributing to a robust October. The year’s horror highlight remains Five Nights at Freddy’s, which stands as the highest-grossing horror film of 2023.
