Paramount's new horror film Smile 2&nbsp;has surpassed its successful predecessor, taking in an estimated $23 million in North American theatres this weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.&nbsp;

"This is an excellent opening for the second episode in a horror series," said analyst David A. Gross, who noted that horror sequels tend to earn a fourth less than the originals.

The first Smile,&nbsp;also directed by horror-master Parker Finn, made $22.6 million when it opened in 2022 and ultimately grossed $217 million worldwide.

Smile 2&nbsp;again tells the story of a grim curse, passed from one victim to the next, that afflicts a troubled pop star (Naomi Scott).

Universal and DreamWorks Animation's "The Wild Robot," about a dispassionate mechanical being, stranded on an island, having to cope with (and care for) fuzzy woodland creatures, placed second again with $10.1 million, part of what Gross said has become a welcome industry trend.

"With 'Inside Out 2' breaking records and 'Despicable Me 4' finishing sensationally well, 2024 has gone from a good year for family films to an outstanding year," Gross said. "Family moviegoing has come all the way back after the pandemic and is in very good health now."

Horror film Terrifier 3,&nbsp;from indie studio Cineverse and Icon Events, earned $9.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period. David Howard Thornton again plays the psychopathic Art the Clown.&nbsp;

In fourth place again, and enjoying a nice run in its seventh weekend out, was Warner Bros.' "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," at $5 million. Michael Keaton again plays the creepily hilarious title character.&nbsp;

Fifth place went to "We Live in Time," a weepy romantic drama from StudioCanal, at $4.2 million. Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh star in what Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian called a "breakout indie hit" with "a hugely appealing cast (and) a funny, moving and romantic plot."

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Joker: Folie a Deux" ($2.2 million)

"Piece by Piece" ($2.1 million)

"Transformers One" ($2 million)

"Saturday Night" ($1.8 million)

"Nightmare Before Christmas (reissue)" ($1.1 million)

Paramount's new horror film Smile 2 has surpassed its successful predecessor, taking in an estimated $23 million in North American theatres this weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

Paramount's new horror film Smile 2 has surpassed its successful predecessor, taking in an estimated $23 million in North American theatres this weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday. "This is an excellent opening for the second episode in a horror series," said analyst David A. Gross, who noted that horror sequels tend to earn a fourth less than the originals. The first Smile, also directed by horror-master Parker Finn, made $22.6 million when it opened in 2022 and ultimately grossed $217 million worldwide. Smile 2 again tells the story of a grim curse, passed from one victim to the next, that afflicts a troubled pop star (Naomi Scott). Universal and DreamWorks Animation's "The Wild Robot," about a dispassionate mechanical being, stranded on an island, having to cope with (and care for) fuzzy woodland creatures, placed second again with $10.1 million, part of what Gross said has become a welcome industry trend. "With 'Inside Out 2' breaking records and 'Despicable Me 4' finishing sensationally well, 2024 has gone from a good year for family films to an outstanding year," Gross said. "Family moviegoing has come all the way back after the pandemic and is in very good health now." Horror film Terrifier 3, from indie studio Cineverse and Icon Events, earned $9.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period. David Howard Thornton again plays the psychopathic Art the Clown. In fourth place again, and enjoying a nice run in its seventh weekend out, was Warner Bros.' "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice," at $5 million. Michael Keaton again plays the creepily hilarious title character. Fifth place went to "We Live in Time," a weepy romantic drama from StudioCanal, at $4.2 million. Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh star in what Comscore analyst Paul Dergarabedian called a "breakout indie hit" with "a hugely appealing cast (and) a funny, moving and romantic plot." Rounding out the top 10 were: "Joker: Folie a Deux" ($2.2 million) "Piece by Piece" ($2.1 million) "Transformers One" ($2 million) "Saturday Night" ($1.8 million) "Nightmare Before Christmas (reissue)" ($1.1 million)

Smile 2 scares up the biggest audiences in N.American theaters

Parker Finn-directorial Smile 2 has hit the theatres and fans are already wondering if they will get a third instalment of the popular horror franchise or not. To answer fans' most-asked question, Finn spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and said that "sky's the limit", hinting at a potential third Smile film in the coming years.

"There’s so many exciting roads that Smile could go down," Finn said. "We’ll have to see how audiences react to Smile 2, but I think that’s what’s great about Smile is there’s an opportunity to tell all different kinds of diverse stories and sort of place ourselves in different worlds that Smile then comes in and invades."

In another conversation with GamesRadar+, the director said that "if we are lucky with how audiences can connect with and embrace" Smile 2 at the box office, "I think the sky's the limit" with additional sequels.

Smile 2, starring Naomi Scott as a tormented pop star dealing with the grinning demons, was released in theatres worldwide on October 18, almost two years after the original film became a massive blockbuster.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/musical-the-lion-king-celebrates-25-years-in-londons-west-end-768848">Musical 'The Lion King' celebrates 25 years in London's West End</a>

In a previous conversation with Den of Geek magazine, Finn said, "We wanted to make sure that we were coming back to do a sequel that felt really worthwhile, unique and really its own thing."

"In the first movie, there’s a lot of mystery, and the audience is learning about it as the character is. In the second movie, they’re coming in with more knowledge than where the character is," he explained. "With the audience potentially being ahead of the character, I wanted to lean into that and see if I could use that against the audience and invite them in."

Meanwhile, Finn is also currently working on writing and directing a remake of the 1981 horror film Possession, which will have Robert Pattinson as a producer.

Parker Finn-directorial Smile 2 has hit the theatres and fans are already wondering if they will get a third instalment of the popular horror franchise or not. To answer fans' most-asked question, Finn spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and said that "sky's the limit", hinting at a potential third Smile film in the coming years.

Parker Finn-directorial Smile 2 has hit the theatres and fans are already wondering if they will get a third instalment of the popular horror franchise or not. To answer fans' most-asked question, Finn spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and said that "sky's the limit", hinting at a potential third Smile film in the coming years. "There’s so many exciting roads that Smile could go down," Finn said. "We’ll have to see how audiences react to Smile 2, but I think that’s what’s great about Smile is there’s an opportunity to tell all different kinds of diverse stories and sort of place ourselves in different worlds that Smile then comes in and invades." In another conversation with GamesRadar+, the director said that "if we are lucky with how audiences can connect with and embrace" Smile 2 at the box office, "I think the sky's the limit" with additional sequels. Smile 2, starring Naomi Scott as a tormented pop star dealing with the grinning demons, was released in theatres worldwide on October 18, almost two years after the original film became a massive blockbuster. Also read: Musical 'The Lion King' celebrates 25 years in London's West End In a previous conversation with Den of Geek magazine, Finn said, "We wanted to make sure that we were coming back to do a sequel that felt really worthwhile, unique and really its own thing." "In the first movie, there’s a lot of mystery, and the audience is learning about it as the character is. In the second movie, they’re coming in with more knowledge than where the character is," he explained. "With the audience potentially being ahead of the character, I wanted to lean into that and see if I could use that against the audience and invite them in." Meanwhile, Finn is also currently working on writing and directing a remake of the 1981 horror film Possession, which will have Robert Pattinson as a producer.

Smile 3 on the cards? Director Parker Finn says 'the sky's the limit'

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Smile 2 scares up the biggest audiences in N.American theaters

Smile 3 on the cards? Director Parker Finn says 'the sky's the limit'