Smile's Director Weighs In On What We Could See In A Sequel - Exclusive

Parker Finn clearly knows what scares us. The writer-director's new film "Smile" has done remarkably well in theaters since its September 30th premiere. The secret? An unyielding cavalcade of terror that makes for one of the more frightening films in recent memory. Sosie Bacon plays Dr. Rose Cotter, a doctor who seeks to help others through their trauma while dealing with her own difficult past. These efforts put her square in the crosshairs of a mysterious entity that passes itself along victim to victim through a seemingly unending chain of trauma and violence. What's worse, each victim is taunted by a horrifying succession of grinning visions. 

As with any film that's netting fans, showcasing positive critical reception, and making money, there are questions about sequels. "Smile" certainly has a concept that admits to a plethora of potential stories, so there's rampant potential at face value. With such a carefully constructed film, it's clear that Finn carefully considers the narrative of this world–and his answer to the sequel question reinforces that expectation. In an exclusive new interview with Looper, Finn reveals what it will take for us to see a sequel, as well as what audiences could expect from such an eerie outing.

The ending of "Smile" isn't quite a sequel hook, but it's still a good set up for another journey through the film's toothy territory. When asked about potential sequel ideas, the director began with a thoughtfully weighed commitment. "I'm really excited to see how audiences respond to 'Smile,'" he responds. "We'll see." After a brief pause, he follows with "but there's so much fun that could be had with 'Smile.'"

While that should give hope for fans who want to see another "Smile" outing, Finn was clear that we shouldn't expect another simple formulaic retread of what worked in this film. "As a filmmaker," he notes, "I never want to retread or repeat myself in any obvious way." In short, we won't be getting a simple narrative where a Rose-like character with a traumatic background gets smile-spooked in the same manner until she dies. "If there was more to be done with "Smile," I'd want to make sure that it was something unexpected that would have a lot of surprises up its sleeves," he says

If the reality of a "Smile" sequel hinges on audience response, another will undoubtedly be on its way. What's best for "Smile" fans, however, is that Finn will work to make sure audiences are kept on their toes with a sequel we won't be expecting.

"Smile" is now playing in theaters.