David Bruckner Will Direct ‘Smile 3’ as Parker Finn Steps Back

Paramount is moving forward with Smile 3, but the horror franchise will have a new filmmaker behind the camera. David Bruckner has been hired to direct the third movie, while Nick Antosca will write the screenplay.

A new creative team takes over

Bruckner arrives with a strong résumé in modern horror. His directing credits include the 2022 Hellraiser reboot, The Night House and The Ritual. He has also been developing several other genre projects, including a new version of The Blob, making his appointment a clear signal that Paramount wants to keep the series rooted in unsettling, character-driven horror.

Antosca, whose recent screen credits include Verity and Cape Fear, is taking over writing duties. Jonathan Fass will executive produce. The studio has not announced a cast, production timetable or release date, so the project remains at an early stage despite its confirmed creative team.

Parker Finn remains involved

Parker Finn wrote and directed the first two Smile films, turning the original 2022 release into a durable theatrical horror property. He will not direct the third installment because he is working on Paramount’s remake of Possession. However, he is not leaving the franchise entirely.

Finn developed and pitched the framework for the new movie and will remain a producer alongside Temple Hill. That continuing role should preserve a link to the mythology and tone established in the earlier films even as Bruckner and Antosca put their own stamp on the next chapter.

The change is significant because the franchise has so far been closely identified with Finn’s creative voice. Bringing in Bruckner gives Paramount a director with his own horror credentials rather than asking a newcomer to imitate the previous entries. For fans, the key unanswered questions are now whether any familiar characters will return and how directly the story will connect to Smile 2.

Until casting and a release date are announced, the strongest confirmed development is the handoff itself: Smile 3 is active, Bruckner is directing, Antosca is writing and Finn is staying involved as a producer.