The 2020s have been an excellent time to be a fan of scary films, especially of the franchise variety. Franchises like Evil Dead, The Conjuring, A Quiet Place, Terrifier, and Alien have all had new entries come out. While those all debuted in theaters, several found their way to Netflix later on.

Some of the biggest horror movie franchises are currently streaming on Netflix. Both of the 28 Years Later films are available, as is the complete Black Phone series. Some of the more recent Scream films are in the library, as are major hits like Saw X. Netflix even has its own horror franchises available, such as The Babysitter and Fear Street.

However, changes are always being made, with major films leaving and exciting new ones arriving. The first entries in the Ready or Not and M3GAN franchises were among Netflix’s new movies in September, while modern classics like Krampus and The Witch are set to leave by the month’s end. Subscribers now have access to a horror movie sequel that is one of the decade’s best.

Smile 2 Is Now Streaming On Netflix: Why It’s Worth Watching

As of September 4, the second entry in Paramount’s Smile franchise is streaming on Netflix. Smile 2 was originally released in theaters in October 2024, two years after director Parker Finn’s first installment. The film tells a story that is mostly disconnected from the first feature, other than the opening sequence, and follows pop star Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) as she becomes haunted by the Smile entity.

Smile 2 is an incredibly thrilling and twisty experience for all, especially those who love horror movies. The sequel constantly plays with Skye’s perception of reality, making her and audiences second-guess whether what she’s experiencing is real or part of hallucinations from the supernatural curse. It makes for an exciting movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to piece together what is real and what is not.

It also helps that Smile 2 is grounded by a remarkable performance by Naomi Scott. She transforms into the global pop star, giving her all the confidence and ability to perform on stage (Scott recorded all of Skye Riley’s songs for the Smile 2 soundtrack herself). She’s not alone in delivering a memorable performance, though. Lukas Cage, Ray Nicholson, Dylan Gelula, and Rosemarie DeWitt are among the co-stars who also impress.

With a killer soundtrack, strong visuals and costumes, and an effective emotional core, there is much more to Smile 2 than scares. Yet, the movie delivers there, too. There are some strikingly creepy scenes, sometimes brought on by just seeing someone smile. The movie doesn’t rely too heavily on jump scares, but it has plenty of horrific imagery, brutal deaths, and more to satisfy horror fans.

Don’t just take my word for it on why the 2-hour-and-7-minute R-rated horror thriller is worth watching. Smile 2 is critically acclaimed, being Certified Fresh at 86% on Rotten Tomatoes. There aren’t many other horror movie sequels this decade that can boast higher scores.

Will There Be A Smile 3?

Smile 2 was a big success when it came out two years ago, but there still is no concrete information on the sequel’s status. The franchise has endless possibilities to continue, especially after Smile 2‘s ending, and Finn has confirmed his interest in returning to this world again.

Paramount has not officially announced any plans for Smile 3, but it should happen eventually. The second film made $138.1 million worldwide against a $28 million budget. That makes Smile 2 a profitable venture for Paramount, even if the global total was behind the original’s $217.4 million.

The hold-up for Smile 3 likely comes down to Finn. The director set up a Possession remake with Paramount as his next movie after Smile 2. His Possession film is currently filming and set for release in June 2027. As long as Smile 3 can keep progressing over the next year, it very well could be next up on Finn’s schedule, getting it ready for a 2028 or 2029 release.

Release Date

October 16, 2024

Runtime

127 minutes

Director

Parker Finn

Writers

Parker Finn

Producers

Robert Salerno, Wyck Godfrey, Marty Bowen, Isaac Klausner, Parker Finn