MOVIE NEWS – It was initially going to be streamed directly. In the end, Smile made $200 million at the box office.

The horror film Smile proved to be one of the best films of the year in the genre. We liked it, and it seems to have worked for moviegoers. The film opened in cinemas in September and was initially intended for Paramount+. Moving the film to the big screen proved wise, as the film earned $99.1 million in US theatres and an additional $103.8 million overseas. The global total of $202.9 million is a massive success for Paramount. It was especially considering the modest budget of $17 million.

Variety quotes Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins as saying:

“The spectacular worldwide performance of Smile demonstrates what is truly possible when you deliver a brilliantly sticky marketing campaign on top of a masterfully made high-concept horror film.”

“Thank you to all our creative partners, director Parker Finn, the amazing cast and our best-in-class production, marketing and distribution teams for creating a communal entertainment experience that movie-loving audiences can only find in the theaters!”

The film’s theatrical-only release, positive reviews, and word of mouth continue to encourage horror fans to see Smile. A unique marketing campaign is another factor that has contributed to the film’s success at the box office. Part of this was hiring actors who attended MLB games and stared straight into the camera while wearing “SMILE” t-shirts with creepy grins. The pictures of the actors went viral, and the film received a lot of attention.

Smile was also a hit with horror fans

Although a standalone horror film, it rose above the popular Halloween franchise. This year’s (supposedly) final Halloween film saw the return of Jamie Lee Curtis, ending his long-running feud with Michael Myers. The film was simultaneously made available on Peacock and received negative reviews; Halloween Ends ended up being a financial success, grossing $102.9 million at the box office against a budget of $33 million.

Still, even though the film was released two weeks earlier, it’s worth noting that Smile made about $100 million more than Halloween Ends.

Smile was written and directed by Parker Finn. It stars Sosie Bacon in the lead role. She is joined by Jessie T. Usher, Kyle Gallner, Caitlin Stasey, Kal Penn and Rob Morgan.

Source: Variety