The new horror movie Smile 2 had a frighteningly good start at the box office. On its opening day, including previews, the film made $9.4 million from 3,619 theaters across the United States. This amount was higher than the first Smile movie’s opening day total of $8.2 million in 2022.
Smile 2 has the potential to earn back its $28 million production budget as people keep seeing it during the Halloween season. Critics said lead actress Naomi Scott gave a great performance, and they liked how the sequel’s story expanded into the world of celebrity. Audience members who saw it on opening day also seemed to enjoy it, as CinemaScore polls found they gave it a “B” grade on average. The first Smile only got a “B-“.
The success of Smile 2 builds on the surprise hit of the first film. That movie was originally planned only for streaming but test audiences liked it so much that it got a theatrical release instead. Strong marketing on social media helped it open with $22 million. It made $105 million total in the U.S., which is over 4 times its production budget. That is considered very profitable.
While Smile 2 may not match the first film’s numbers exactly, early signs are good. With its solid start and audience reviews, the sequel looks prepared to stay popular through the rest of October. Meanwhile, Universal’s animated movie The Wild Robot continues performing well in its fourth weekend. It aims to join an elite group of 16 films that have made over $100 million domestically in 2024. Tim Burton’s comedy sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice also keeps holding strong in the top five in its seventh weekend. And the indie film Anora started off its limited release with an estimated $310,000 from six New York and Los Angeles theaters.
As moviegoing patterns change, Smile 2 stands out as proof that well-made horror franchises can build off earlier success. Its opening performance demonstrates the enduring appeal such films have around Halloween.
