Smile 2’s First Trailer Takes Its Creepy Premise Into the World of Pop Fandom

Paramount has released a new trailer for Smile 2, a sequel to the 2022 film about a trauma-harvesting entity that smiles at you like Richard D. James on an Aphex Twin album cover.

Starring Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage, Miles Gutierrez-Riley, Peter Jacobson, Raúl Castillo, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson, the sequel follows “global pop sensation” Skye as she begins “experiencing increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and the pressures of fame, Skye is forced to face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control.” Written and directed by the the first film’s Parker Finn, the sequel appears to expand on the original’s horrifying premise— an invisible monster appears to you, smiling, and the only way to get rid of it is to traumatize a bystander.

Much like M. Night Shyamalan’s upcoming Trap which also concerns an on-the-rise pop star, Smile 2 adds a new wrinkle to the anxiety-provoking image of an approaching well-wisher by making the victim a celebrity who must have to deal with this shit constantly. By the same token, the studio is doubling down on the first film’s viral marketing campaign by providing its fictitious starlet with her own original music available to stream on Youtube and Spotify, a billboard in Los Angeles and even an Instagram page that may-or-may not be managed by an obsessive fan.

Of course, whether or not the ever-encroaching visage of someone who wants your attention causes your blood to turn cold will vary from person to person, Smile 2 still has its finger on the pulse of 2024: it’s so weird seeing people happy. Uncanny, even.

Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.