Smile 3: David Bruckner Takes Over the Director’s Chair, Parker Finn Remains a Producer

TVS News AI, editorially supervised, presents Smile 3: David Bruckner Takes Over the Director’s Chair, Parker Finn Remains a Producer.

David Bruckner Brings His “Hellraiser” Experience

Paramount has hired David Bruckner to direct the third “Smile” film. The horror movie “Smile 3” is set to follow “Smile 2” from 2024. Nick Antosca is writing the screenplay.

Bruckner is no stranger to the horror genre. He directed the 2022 Hulu remake of “Hellraiser.” He previously directed “The Night House” and “The Ritual.” For the third “Smile” installment, he brings a filmography that already stands out for its blend of reinvention and auteur horror filmmaking.

The director is also committed to other projects: He is set to direct “The Caretaker” for Universal Pictures, an adaptation of Marcus Kliewer’s book of the same name starring Sydney Sweeney. He is also slated to direct “Mice” for A24 and is writing and developing a remake of “The Blob.” For “Smile 3,” the report from The Hollywood Reporter has not yet announced either a production start or a release date.

Parker Finn Remains on Board as a Producer

Parker Finn shaped “Smile” and “Smile 2” as their writer, director, and producer. For the third installment, he developed and presented the basic concept. He remains involved with “Smile 3” as a producer; Jonathan Fass is handling executive production.

This does not simply mean that all creative control has changed hands. Bruckner and Antosca are taking over directing and screenplay duties, while Finn continues to oversee the development of the third film. That is an important distinction: the project has a new director but remains connected to the existing franchise through Finn’s producer role.

Finn had already signed a first-look deal with Paramount Pictures in 2023. Alongside “Smile 3,” he is working on a remake of “Possession” starring Callum Turner and Margaret Qualley. The film is scheduled for release on June 11, 2027.

The Franchise Is Successful — the Third Installment Has to Find the Balance

“Smile” was the highest-grossing independent horror film of 2022. The entire film franchise has taken in more than $350 million worldwide. That gives the studio a clear reason to make “Smile 3,” but it also sets a high bar for expectations.

After the release of “Smile 2,” Finn spoke about the possible direction of the franchise. He said he wanted future “Smile” films to be bigger, more extreme, and “wilder.” At the same time, he said it was important for the story to remain relatable and character-driven despite its expanded world. This combination describes the central challenge for “Smile 3”: The new story can become bigger, but it must not lose its human intensity in the process.

The strongest argument for the change is the combination of Bruckner’s horror experience and Antosca’s screenplay work. The counterargument: Without details about the plot or cast, it remains unclear how the new team will implement Finn’s basic concept or whether the franchise’s character-driven intimacy will be preserved. For now, only the key creative appointments are certain: Bruckner directs, Antosca writes, and Finn produces.