Overview
- Paramount officially hired David Bruckner to direct Smile 3 and Nick Antosca to write the screenplay, a development reported across major outlets on October 29, 2026.
- Parker Finn, who created and directed the first two Smile films, pitched the framework for the third entry and will remain a producer rather than directing this installment.
- No plot details, cast announcements, production start date, or release window have been revealed and the project remains in early development.
- The franchise’s anthology format means the third film is expected to tell a largely standalone story with new protagonists, a structure that lets the studio shift tone and scale from film to film.
- The move follows strong box office returns for Smile and Smile 2 (about $217 million and $138 million worldwide respectively) and pairs Bruckner’s established horror résumé with Antosca’s genre writing, a combination that could allow a larger-scope follow-up but may be paced around both creators’ other commitments.