One of the most highly anticipated horror films of 2024, Smile 2, is set to hit theaters on October 18. Serving as a sequel to the original 2022 release, the second installment is also drawing significant attention for its eerie yet innovative marketing and promotional tactics.
Paramount is leaving no stone unturned in promoting Smile 2. Compared to the marketing for the first film, the studio has ramped up efforts for the sequel.
The film’s promotional strategy includes actors appearing in unexpected locations, a tactic that eerily mirrors the marketing of the first movie.
The brilliance of this approach lies in its subtlety—no posters, no branded merchandise, not even a title to reveal what the film is about. Yet, the unsettling smiles alone give it away instantly.
In a clip shared by @DiscussingFilm on X (formerly Twitter) from a recent baseball game between the Mets and Dodgers, a couple of creepy, smiling actors in bright yellow shirts can be seen sitting behind the umpire. Check out the clip here!
One of the creepy smiling people for ‘SMILE 2’ broke character at yesterday’s Dodgers vs. Mets game. pic.twitter.com/CnesmOy7Mi
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) October 15, 2024
Smile 2 is not the only horror movie to use innovative or creepy marketing tactics. For instance, Nicolas Cage’s Longlegs shared plenty of mysterious and ominous images and video clips before revealing what the movie was actually about. M3GAN’s marketing leaned heavily on the doll’s unsettling appearance. The film’s promotional tactics gained significant attention online, with people spotting actors dressed as the doll suddenly appearing at events and dancing in the eerie style of the evil protagonist. When IT (2017) was nearing its release, Warner Bros’ marketing campaign included tying red balloons to sewer gates in various locations, including Sydney, Australia.
Helmed by Parker Finn, Smile 2 stars Naomi Scott, Rosemarie DeWitt, Lukas Gage, Kyle Gallner, Peter Jacobson, Dylan Gelula, Ray Nicholson, Raul Castillo, and more. Stay tuned for more updates.
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