Smile 2 cost $28 million to produce and earned about $138.1 million worldwide. The first Smile cost $17 million and earned $217.4 million worldwide.
Smile 2 is Paramount's horror sequel about pop star Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott. Parker Finn wrote and directed the film, which opened wide on Oct. 18, 2024.
Table of Contents
- What was Smile 2's budget?
- How did Smile 2 perform at the box office?
- How does it compare with the first Smile?
- Was Smile 2 still profitable?
What was Smile 2's budget?
TheWrap reports Smile 2 carried a $28 million production budget, up from $17 million for the first film, in TheWrap's opening-weekend report. Paramount positioned the sequel as a modest studio horror bet. The increase paid for a larger pop-star story and wider release.
The reported figure covers production only. It excludes marketing and distribution costs. That limit matters when judging profit from box-office gross alone.
How did Smile 2 perform at the box office?
Box Office Mojo lists about $69.0 million domestic and $69.1 million international for Smile 2, in its Box Office Mojo title page. The total is roughly $138.1 million worldwide. The split was about even between domestic and overseas.
The sequel opened to $23 million domestic from 3,619 theaters and $46 million worldwide, according to Bloody Disgusting in its Bloody Disgusting opening coverage. It took No. 1 in its opening weekend. That domestic start slightly beat the first film's $22.6 million opening.
How does it compare with the first Smile?
The original Smile earned $217.4 million worldwide after its September 2022 release, according to Variety. Its domestic total was reported at about $105 to $109.5 million on a $17 million budget. Smile 2 started slightly stronger but finished lower overall.
Rotten Tomatoes Editorial notes Smile 2 cost about $11 million more but grossed roughly $79 to $80 million less worldwide. That gap is about one-third below the first film. For buyers and horror fans, the sequel did less business despite the bigger scale.
- Production budget: $17 million for Smile, $28 million for Smile 2
- Domestic opening: $22.6 million for Smile, $23 million for Smile 2
- Worldwide total: $217.4 million for Smile, about $138.1 million for Smile 2
Was Smile 2 still profitable?
Collider notes the sequel earned roughly five times its production budget in theaters. That ratio made it a profitable horror sequel. Its result supported continuation of the franchise.
Theater owners, Paramount, and horror audiences felt the direct effect of that run. Readers should treat grosses as estimates that shift slightly between trackers. The $28 million budget also excludes marketing and distribution, as Koimoi notes.