Smile 2 has now debuted on Rotten Tomatoes, and it's currently beating the original movie. Released in 2022, director Parker Finn's Smile became a major box office hit, following Sosie Bacon's Rose Cotter, a psychiatrist, as she is haunted by a supernatural entity after witnessing the traumatic death of a patient. Finn returns as director for the follow-up, with the Smile 2 story following pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) as she begins to experience horrific events before a major world tour. Ahead of the film's wide theatrical release, reviews are now making their way online.

Rotten Tomatoes now reveals that Smile 2 has debuted on the site with an 84% critics' score from 25 reviews. Though this score is sure to fluctuate as more reviews are added, the sequel is currently ahead of the original, which sits at an 80% score.

Thus far, most critics have been praising Smile 2 for its inventive scares and compelling protagonist, driven by a powerful performance from Scott. Smile also has a respectable 77% audience score, but an audience score for the sequel won't arrive until after the movie has hit theaters.

What Smile 2's Rotten Tomatoes Score Means For The Movie

Will The Sequel Repeat The Original's Success?

Smile was made on a budget of only $17 million and went on to gross $217.4 million worldwide, making it a smash hit. The film excelled in part due to a powerful viral marketing campaign, which featured actors smiling creepily in various public spaces, including at sports games. This viral marketing campaign was complemented by positive Smile reviews when the movie actually came out, with critics praising the film for its scares, memorable imagery, and its exploration of themes relating to trauma.

The positive response to the sequel could mean that it's poised to achieve similar success. It's not clear what the Smile 2 budget is, but trailers alone suggest that it's higher than the original's. If Smile 2 was made on a budget of $30 million, it would be looking at a break-even point of at least $60 million, a milestone it could handily beat. The sequel has already employed the same viral marketing strategies, after all, and the positive Smile 2 reviews could suggest that audiences are in for a scare-filled ride.

A movie's break-even point at the box office is typically between two to two-and-a-half times its budget.

Our Take On Smile 2's Rotten Tomatoes Success

Will There Be A Smile 3?

Critics' reviews certainly aren't everything, and it's entirely possible that the audience response will end up being different. That being said, if Smile 2 ends up recapturing the magic of the original for audiences and finding box office success, this horror franchise could continue with additional installments. The sequel already shows just how flexible the franchise can be, telling an entirely different story with new characters. A potential sequel to Smile 2 could follow this same pattern, featuring the same terrifying curse as it haunts unique new figures.

Source: Rotten Tomatoes