Smile, the most successful horror movie of 2022, has hit the Netflix Global Top 10 movies chart. A psychological horror written and directed by Parker Finn, and based on his short film Laura Hasn’t Slept, the movie tells the story of a young woman working as a therapist, who witnesses the bizarre suicide of a patient and begins to experience supernatural occurrences. A box office success, Smile grossed over $200 million against a production budget of just $17 million; Smile stars Sosie Bacon in the role of Rose Cotter, and features an ensemble cast including Kyle Gallner, and Kal Penn.

According to data released by Netflix, the movie has entered the streaming giants’ weekly top 10 list of most-watched movies and TV shows. Smile ranks as the 10th most-watched film on the platform’s Global Top 10 chart for the week of May 13 to May 19, 2024. The movie has so far received 2.4 million views, and 4.7 million hours viewed during its first week on the chart, and ranked below Unfrosted, The Boss Baby, Sonic the Hedgehog, Upgrade, Shrek, Thelma the Unicorn, Disturbia, Madame Web, and Mother of the Bride.

Will Smile Find A New Audience On Streaming?

The Streaming Numbers Are A Positive Sign For The Sequel

Smile has had a strong debut week, but the fact it has only peaked at number 10 on the Netflix chart means that there is a chance it might only enjoy one week on the charts before being replaced by something else. However, the box office success of the movie, and the enduring appeal of horror movies in general, means that there could well be a longer-term audience for Smile on streaming, and it’s possible that this could lead to a prolonged stint in the Netflix Top 10.

Following the success of the first movie, the upcoming Smile 2 has been in development for a while, with a release date of October 18. The plot will follow Naomi Scott’s new character trying to escape the entity from Smile. She will play a pop star who sees her fans get infected. Though it appears Bacon will not return for the follow-up, the cast list for Smile 2 is beginning to take shape, with Gallner set to reprise his role as Joel. Check out the rumored cast list for the movie so far:

Smile was a fresh, unique, and interesting approach to contemporary horror, and this no doubt made it a hit with audiences. The success of the movie should bode well for the sequel, which is expected to have a strong theatrical run, before also dropping on streaming platforms. The market for elevated horror is big right now, and Smile is certainly an entry that ticks this box, which could explain its resurgence on Netflix. With the follow-up coming soon, this could mark a strong horror franchise that will be popular for years to come.

Source: Netflix