‘Smile 3’ Taps ‘Hellraiser’ Director David Bruckner Amid Parker Finn’s Absence

Paramount is giving horror fans something to smile about with a third installment in Parker Finn‘s Smile franchise. On Wednesday, the studio announced David Bruckner (Hellraiser, The Night House) will helm the next film, which is penned by Nick Antosca (Cape Fear, Brand New Cherry Flavor), as Finn is busy directing Paramount’s Possession remake. Despite Finn’s absence after writing and directing the first two films, he developed and pitched the framework for the trilogy-completing film, on which he serves as a producer with Temple Hill. Jonathan Fass serves as executive producer. In the Smile films, a smiling supernatural entity haunts its victims before ultimately driving them crazy. Watch on Deadline Starring Sosie Bacon, the first Smile film debuted in 2022, becoming the top-grossing original horror of the year. In 2024, Naomi Scott starred in Smile 2, which pushed the franchise’s global gross past $350M.