Smile 2 passed $100 million worldwide this weekend, solidifying it as one of 2024’s most successful horror movies. Standing at $109 million per Collider, the film continues to comfortably sit in the top 5 for the weekend, only behind Venom: The Last Dance and The Wild Robot.
While Smile 2 is not performing quite as well as its predecessor, Smile (2022) was a surprise breakout hit and earned over $200 million worldwide on a budget of just $17 million. The sequel is still performing quite well, with its budget being around $28 million. The success of the first film can also be attributed to audiences itching for some good horror post-pandemic as well as its inventive and viral marketing campaign featuring creepy smiling people all over public areas. While Smile 2 also tried some of this marketing, it was not till much closer to the film’s release and it was nowhere near as viral.
Positive word of mouth has helped Smile 2 hold solid in its third week, even despite a hefty drop for its second weekend. The film holds an impressive 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, surpassing the original with a 79%.
As a whole, 2024 has not been a great year for horror. While Smile 2 is a success, it is by no means a breakout smash at the box office. This is more concerning considering that it is the 4th most profitable horror film domestically this year. It is only behind Longlegs with $74 million, Alien: Romulus with $105 million and A Quiet Place: Day One with $138 million, the latter of which borders on being a disaster film rather than horror.
Still, Smile 2 continues to perform well, but its success will be put to the test with the release of Heretic next week.
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