The sophomore filmmaker still loves his jump scares, but "Smile 2" suggests that his horror series could have real legs as an ongoing anthology of character studies.

Expanding lore is a key element in horror sequels, and it’s something that I pondered heavily going into my screening of writer/director Parker Finn’s Smile 2. Revisiting the original in the days before,

Parker Finn follows his surprise 2022 hit about a malevolent spirit that jumps hosts via a diabolical grin, this time infecting a troubled pop star with a ton of trauma to feed on.