Smile 2 Skipped A Great Rose Replacement That Deserves An Upcoming Prequel Film

Smile 2 made Skye Riley the star of the show, replacing Rose Cotter as the franchise’s protagonist, but it should have been Joel. The end of Smile directly leads to events Smile 2as shown in the sequence Joel is haunted by the Smiling Curse six days after seeing Rose burn to death before his eyes. However, Joel dies in Smile 2allowing the curse to pass to Lewis so he could eventually find Skye Riley as his next victim. This decision made Naomi Scott’s character the main character of the sequel, following in the footsteps of Sophie Bacon.

Having Skye Riley replace Rose in Smile 2 proved to be a move that worked well for the Parker Finn sequel. Scott gave a great performance in the lead role, and the traumatic and surprising story that unfolded for Skye was emotional. And since Skye is a pop star, she provided Smile 2 with the chance to deliver a film completely different from the first film. It makes sense that she would be at the center of the sequel, but she was far from the only option. Smile 2 proves that another character could have replaced Rose, and they deserve a prequel next.

Smile 2 should have been Joel’s story after the end of Smile

He was positioned as the next leader

As good as Skye’s story is Smile 2I still believe the sequel should have focused on Joel. Kyle Gallner’s return in Smile 2 was a necessary part of the franchise’s continuation after Smileis ending. The final moments confirmed that he would be the next person haunted by the Smiler, so any follow-up would have to explain what happened to him next. This is why it was believed for some time after the sequel’s initial announcement that Smile 2 would make Joel the main character and show him fighting for his survival after Rose’s death.

Joel replacing Rose as leader of Smile the franchise would have worked to tie the films together more tightly. The sequel would have been able to better show what happened to Sophie Bacon’s character beyond Rose’s small cameo in Smile 2. The haunting final image of Smile it was a testament to how great it could be to have Joel as the focus in the future. All the trauma of watching Rose die, dealing with her death, and trying to figure out how he could avoid being the curse’s next victim provided a blueprint for what would happen. Smile 2the story could have been.

It’s still worth making a Joel prequel between Smile and Smile 2

The franchise should bring Kyle Gallner back

It may seem like the opportunity to tell Joel’s story has passed after Smile 2The film’s ending hinted at where the franchise could go next, but that’s not necessarily the case. Paramount should be looking for ways to expand the series beyond the main story, and a Joel prequel would be a great way to do that. This would allow the franchise to go back and explore Joel’s life in those six days between Smile and Smile 2. Showing the full extent of his haunted experience and revealing what he learned about the Smiler could improve the series as a whole.

A film led by Joel set between Smile and Smile 2 it would also have the opportunity to be a very different kind of genre film than what Parker Finn has done so far. He could use Joel to fully embrace a crime thriller story, where Gallner’s character frantically searches for answers and potential victims to whom he can next pass the curse. The first Smile had brief moments where his detective skills were utilized, but a prequel would allow them to take center stage. Essentially, the prequel would be a mystery thriller mixed with horror elements that leads directly to the Smile 2.