Naomi Scott had no idea what she was in for. It was several years after her breakout performance as Jasmine in 2019’s Aladdin and she had just received a script by director Parker Finn about a new character he had created – a tortured pop star named Skye Riley.

With a powerhouse turn from its lead star and weapons-grade jumpscares aplenty, the follow-up offers more of the same grinning carnage.

In the much anticipated horror sequel Smile 2, which sees the return of the haunting supernatural curse to the big screen, Scott plays pop sensation Skye Riley who is currently on the dawn of her new world tour. However, things soon start spiraling out of control as Skye finds herself at the center of disturbing events.

The world is on fire. Innocent people are dying. Hurricanes are ripping away homes. Fascism looms large. Parker Finn's "Smile" movies don't tackle our global anxieties directly but they do understand that seeing someone happy in the early 21st century is deeply disturbing.

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.