(SeaPRwire) – By: Christian Pierce
Most horror franchises fizzle out after two or three films. They churn out lazy content just to milk existing fans. Few successfully expand their universe beyond the silver screen. Even fewer pull that off without alienating their core audience. Smile is testing a new expansion playbook most big studios won’t touch.
The 2022 original Smile became an instant horror classic. It got a better-regarded sequel in 2024, with another film on the way. Earlier this year, IDW Comics put out a four-issue prequel. That prequel, Smile: For the Camera, is set during 2005 Fashion Month. It drops the Entity into the world of professional modeling. The quiet hit proved the franchise works off screen too. IDW will next release a five-part spinoff called Any Given Smile. It is written by Stephanie Williams, with art by Pablo Collar. It is set 10 years before For the Camera, at an American Arena League championship. Rising quarterback Dupree is the Entity’s new target. He owes a large debt to the local gambling underworld, and faces pressure from all sides. A veteran sports journalist probes a string of suicides tied to the game. Last year’s 2025 football thriller Him, produced by Jordan Peele, fumbled this theme. It was too scattered and relied too much on glossy visuals to land its point.
Studios see existing franchise IP as their most valuable asset. Most lock all expansion into big-budget film sequels only. That limits outside risk, but it also limits long-term growth. It burns out audience goodwill and raises production costs every cycle. Smile tests low-stakes expansion into comics first. It tries new settings and character types without nine-figure budgets. A successful comic spinoff gives the studio a tested story for future films. A flop leaves barely a scratch on a major studio’s balance sheet. Eisner-nominated Williams has the track record to nail this story. This low-risk, high-reward model will become the standard for mid-budget horror IP.
Smile is streaming on Paramount+.
Author bio: Christian Pierce, chief financial columnist covering media and entertainment industry business trends.