Your New Favorite Low-Budget Horror Masterpiece Is Leaving Streaming Soon

No other genre in the world can produce low-budget hits like horror, but one recent fan-favorite that even earned a sequel just got a disappointing streaming update. There were plenty of horror movies released in 2022, but few found the same success at the box office that Smile did. Produced on a modest $17 million budget, Smile grossed $217 million at the box office, earning nearly $200 million of pure profit for Paramount. The film has been streaming on Netflix for a while now, but unfortunately, the streamer has confirmed that the final day to watch Smile will be on November 13.

Smile came out of the gate strong with an 80% from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, and it even earned a 77% on the audience-driven Popcornmeter. In Collider’s review for the film back in 2022, we said it was every bit as scary as the trailers presented it. Parker Finn wrote and directed Smile, and the cast consists of Sosie Bacon as Rose Cotter, Kyle Gallner as Joel, Jessie T. Usher as Trevor, Robin Weigert as Dr. Madeline Northcott, Caitlin Stasey as Laura Weaver, and more. Isaac Klausner, Robert Salerno, and Wyck Godfrey produced the horror feature.

Smile was such a success that Paramount asked Parker Finn to come back and write/direct a sequel, which he did. Smile 2 was released last year, and earned even stronger scores of 86% from critics and 81% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. It didn’t find the same success at the box office, grossing only $138 million, but its $28 million budget still ensured it was a financial success. Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, and Lukas Gage all have roles in Smile 2.

Will There Be a Third ‘Smile’ Movie?

Paramount has yet to officially greenlight a third Smile movie, but there are signs to point to it likely happening at some point. During an interview with Collider last year, Parker Finn admitted that a sequel to Smile 2 could happen, as long as he could keep character-driven, intimate storytelling at the center. The first two Smile movies have grossed well over $300 million, all while costing less than $50 million, so Paramount would likely have no trouble footing the bill for a third film. There are even plenty of rising stars in the horror genre who would be perfect for a role.

Be sure to watch Smile before it leaves Netflix on November 13 and stay tuned to Collider for more streaming updates.