The 2022 Horror Movie ‘Smile’ Trailer Is the Stuff of Nightmares
Plastered-on smiles are just inherently creepy. That’s the idea behind the upcoming 2022 horror movie Smile. The film is written and directed by newcomer Parker Finn based on his 2020 short film Laura Hasn’t Slept. And now that Paramount has released the full trailer for the movie, it’s time to assess whether Smile could become a significant horror hit in 2022.
‘Smile’ could be a surprise horror hit in 2022
Overall, 2022 has been a big year for horror fans. The year started strong with the January release of Scream, the fifth installment in the long-running horror franchise created by the legendary Wes Craven. And it’s continued strong with movies like X, You Won’t Be Alone, and Crimes of the Future, all earning attention from fans and critics alike.
Thus far, The Black Phone has emerged as the summer’s big breakout horror movie. The film — directed by Scott Derrickson (Sinister)––could be eclipsed by Smile, which boasts a premise that aligns with any number of horror classics. Set for release on September 30, 2022, horror fans finally got a fuller picture of the movie’s story.
The ‘Smile’ marketing builds up the mystery of the film’s story
For a while, the marketing team behind Smile shared just a few seconds of footage almost exclusively of wild, eerie grins as the film’s “teaser trailer.” Now Paramount released the full two-minute trailer, shedding some much-needed light on the movie’s premise. Smile stars Sosie Bacon (Mare of Easttown) as a doctor who witnesses a patient’s brutal death. Soon, she begins to suspect she has become prey to the same entity responsible for an ongoing killing spree.
Smile calls to mind beloved horror movies such as The Ring and It Follows. And if it has anything in common with those movies, fans might be in for a treat. Though the film marks Finn’s debut, the vibe of dread hanging over the movie could translate into a fun, terrifying ride. Jessie T. Usher, Kal Penn, Judy Reyes, Rob Morgan, Kyle Gallner, and Caitlin Stasey also star.
The ‘Smile’ trailer received wild responses ahead of its release
Mashable weighed in on Smile, dubbing the footage “the creepiest horror trailer you watch in a while.” In a year jam-packed with so many notable horror releases – such as X and Jordan Peele’s upcoming Nope – it remains to be seen how Smile will stack up. The folks at Vulture also shared their reaction to the trailer, calling it a “very scary-looking, very original, very smiley film.”
The Vulture post, moreover, underlines what may be an even more pressing question regarding Smile. The site’s rundown not only name-checks It Follows and The Ring, but also The Dark Knight. Will Smile feel like a remixed version of so many earlier films, or will it transcend these comparisons to have its own identity?
The world will find out when Smile hits theaters on September 30, 2022.
