David Bruckner to Direct Smile 3 as Parker Finn Stays On as Producer
Paramount has hired David Bruckner to direct Smile 3, with Nick Antosca writing the screenplay, Variety reported. The move gives the horror franchise a new director for the first time, while its creator, Parker Finn, stays involved as a producer after writing and directing the first two films.
Finn is occupied with another Paramount project, a remake of Possession, Bloody Disgusting reported, citing Variety. He will remain on board as a producer on Smile 3 and came up with the framework for the third film, according to the reports. No plot details, cast or release date have been announced.
A new hand on a proven hit
The first Smile, released in 2022, became a sleeper hit, earning $105 million in North America and $217 million worldwide, Bloody Disgusting reported. Its sequel followed in 2024, shifting the story to a pop star played by Naomi Scott, Screen Rant reported. The franchise has since become one of Paramount’s most reliable horror properties, and the third film arrives with a ready-made audience — and a high bar to clear.
Both films followed a protagonist who begins to unravel after witnessing a traumatic death at the hands of someone wearing a sinister grin, Bloody Disgusting reported. It is assumed the third film will shift to a new central character, the outlet noted, although no details have been divulged so far and no storyline has been confirmed.
Who Bruckner and Antosca are
Bruckner is known for horror films including The Ritual (2017), The Night House (2020) and the 2022 Hellraiser reboot, Bloody Disgusting reported. Antosca’s credits include the series Channel Zero and Cape Fear, and Brand New Cherry Flavor, according to the same report. The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline also confirmed the same credits, according to reports summarising their coverage.
Bruckner arrives with a busy horror slate of his own, including a new take on The Blob for Warner Bros., A24’s Mice and Universal’s Sydney Sweeney-led The Caretaker, Screen Rant reported. Finn, meanwhile, previously told Bloody Disgusting that if Smile continued, he wanted it to grow larger while keeping the storytelling intimate and centred on character, with the supernatural element pushing human horror to the surface.
What happens next
Finn’s Possession remake is expected in cinemas on 11 June 2027, Bloody Disgusting reported. For Smile 3, audiences will have to wait: with no cast, story or date announced, the hiring is the first public step, not a finished film. Starlight will update this story when Paramount confirms further details.
Sources: Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline, as reported by Bloody Disgusting and Screen Rant, 28–29 October 2026.