The horror movieSmilewas a breakout hit in 2022, earning a massive $217 million at the box office against its measly budget of just $17 million, but perhaps one of the most intriguing things about the film – aside from its creepy story –was the way it was marketed before its release. It appears Paramount is taking the same approach with the sequel,Smile 2, as some folks have pointed to a mysterious billboard and a social media account that has surfaced onlinethat could have a connection to the movie, which is set to hit theaters on August 21, 2025.
Bloody Disgustingwas first to point out the mysterious billboard that’s seen on Sunset Blvd. in Los Angeles, which is promotingthe release of a new pop star named Skye Riley. It shows the lower half of a woman’s face with the words‘SKYE IS LIMITLESS’plastered across it, touting the arrival of a new album and single titled‘Blood on White Satin’that willbe released on June 18th.
Upon further exploration, a social media account was found underthe name @SkyeRileyNation that appeared on June 8, which led to a video that shows a pop singer who looks suspiciously like Naomi Scott,who was cast in the lead ofSmile 2late last year, intercut withwhat could be scenes from the sequel.
Check out some of the posts from X (formerly Twitter) below that show the mysterious video, and images of the (possibly) fictional pop star, Skye Riley.
Smile’s Viral Marketing Campaign Was a Huge Hit
Before its release in 2022, Paramount’sSmilewasexpected to be just another generic horror movieby some, and was projected to gross anywhere from $16-$20 million dollars on its opening weekend. The film would go on to earn $22.2 million, slightly above those projections, due in part to the viral marketing stunt that took place before its debut that is still remembered today.
The weekend beforeSmilehit theaters, Paramount’s marketing teampurchased several seats behind home plate for various MLB games, and placed actors in those seats whose job it was to…smile. Not just any smile, but a creepy, maniacal smilethat led to a lot of people freaking out. Check out a post from 2022 to jog your memory.
Whileit hasn’t been confirmedthat the mysterious Skye Riley has any connection toSmile 2, the consensus seems to bethat this is a viral marketing campaignthat’s in its beginning stages to help promotethe release of the sequel later this year. In addition to the social media account, there’s alsoa website for the pop starthatgives people the ability to pre-save and pre-orderthe single ‘Blood on White Satin’ on both Spotify and iTunes respectively.
Smile: Scariest Moments, Ranked
Smile was a smash hit and a breakout film for the horror genre. These were the scariest moments that made it so chilling.
For now,we’ll have to wait until June 08, 2025, to find out whether it truly will be the emergence of a new singer, or perhaps the trailer for the sequel. Either way, fans are having a lot of fun speculating right now,which is only fueling anticipation forSmile 2.
Smileis available to stream onParamount+.
