2021 Hit Psychological Horror Movie Smile is performing admirably during its streaming debut. Written and directed by Parker Finn, as an adaptation of his short film Laura didn’t sleep, Smile follows a therapist, played by Sosie Bacon, who begins experiencing bizarre supernatural occurrences after witnessing a patient’s suicide. The film, co-starring Jessi T. Usher, Kyle Gallner and Kal Penn, was a box office success, grossing just over $217 million during its theatrical run, against a production budget of $17 million. It also spawned a sequel, the highly rated Smile 2which hit theaters on October 18th.
Now, a few years after its theatrical run, Smile It arrived on streaming platforms and is enjoying great success. The film debuted in the Top 5 on Hulu and Paramount+a huge achievement, given that it’s on both platforms at the same time and is only a few years old. Smile reached third place on Hulu’s Top 10 Movies Now chart, losing only to Scream 6 and A peaceful place: first day. Meanwhile, it debuted at number one on Paramount+’s Top 15 Movies Today, surpassing Mr., Fanatic: Tegan and Sara’s Catfishingand The purge: election year.
What Smile’s streaming performance means for the franchise
Renewed interest could benefit Smile 2’s box office
SmileThe huge success during its theatrical run helped cement its status as one of the most iconic and memorable horror films of recent times. Now that the film has found new life on streaming, This could bode well for the long-term future of Smile franchise. Not only does this attract a new audience to the film, it can even increase interest in the film in home media and increases the chances of new episodes.
Furthermore, the recent launch of Smile 2 certainly sparked interest in the first filmwith viewers possibly interested in revisiting the first before watching the second, or even checking out Smile for the first time before going to the cinemas to see Smile 2. What’s more, the sequel’s theatrical run, which has grossed just under $9.4 million so far on opening day, will certainly be boosted by renewed interest in the first film. The film is projected to gross around $23 million over its opening weekend.
Our verdict on why Smile performs well in streaming
The Halloween season and the release of Smile 2 will have influenced its success
There are always a multitude of factors at play when a film finds new success on streaming platforms, and Smile is no different. I think the main reasons for the film’s good performance on streaming are the Halloween season, which has generated greater interest in horror films, and the recent release of Smile 2. Along with its franchise-changing ending and a successful box office run for both films, we will certainly see the franchise expand to at least a third film in the future.
Source: Hulu/Paramount+