‘Smile 3’ Taps David Bruckner to Direct as Parker Finn Exits Franchise

The ‘Smile’ franchise has a new director. David Bruckner, who made “The Night House” and the 2022 “Hellraiser” reboot, has been tapped to direct “Smile 3” for Paramount. He takes over from franchise creator Parker Finn, who is busy with his remake of “Possession.”

This shouldn't come as a shock. Earlier this year, it was already being reported that Finn was unlikely to return for the third ‘Smile’ because he was prepping his ‘Possession’ remake. At the time, word was that Finn wouldn't direct, that it was unclear whether he'd stay on as a writer, and that the film could arrive as early as 2027.

Bruckner is a smart choice. He's a genre veteran who has made "Hellraiser," "The Night House," "The Ritual," "Southbound," a "V/H/S" segment and "The Signal." "The Night House," with Rebecca Hall, remains his best-reviewed film. It's a genuinely unnerving haunted-house movie, and that sort of slow-burn dread is exactly what ‘Smile’ might need.

The franchise has been very good business for Paramount. The original grossed $217M against a $17M budget, which wasn’t bad for a film first intended for streaming. “Smile 2” couldn’t match those numbers, grossing around $140M worldwide on a $30M budget.

I wasn’t much of a ‘Smile’ fan to begin with, so it was a surprise to find myself taken by the sequel. Finn upped the ante with more money to play with and far more inspired creative choices, and Naomi Scott was incredible in the lead role. I didn’t think it stuck the landing, but really, who cares? It was weirder, more ambitious and much better than the first.

As for Finn, at some point around 2024–25 he was supposed to write and direct “Smile 3,” but many other projects have since landed in his lap, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll have much involvement with the third instalment beyond producing.

For now, Finn is fully committed to “Possession,” and that's the project I'm more curious about. Margaret Qualley plays the Isabelle Adjani role from Żuławski's original. That 1981 film remains one of the most singular horror movies ever made. Remaking it is either very brave or very foolish. We’ll see. Callum Turner, Paul Dano and Diego Calva round out the cast, and the film opens June 11, 2027.

No release date has been set for “Smile 3.”