5 scary movies about fame to watch after Smile 2

Now that Smile 2 is available to rent or purchase on-demand; countless new people are discovering the excellent follow-up to the 2022 movie. In Smile 2, Parker Finn returns to direct the film, this time focused on a pop star named Skye Riley (Naomi Scott), who becomes the next target of the Entity after she witnesses a friend kill himself.

One of the prevailing themes in Smile 2 is the traumas of fame and addiction, a topic that has been explored many times in the horror genre. For those itching to watch something else that feels similar to Smile 2, the following list offers five recommendations.

Perfect Blue (1997)

This psychological thriller film was incredibly well-received when it first premiered and has continued to gain popularity in online film circles. Like Smile 2, Perfect Blue tackles the harsh side of fame, in this case, when a member of a Japanese idol group becomes subjected to stalking by an obsessive fan. As she deals with the stalking taking a toll on her life and a string of murders, she begins to lose her grip on reality, not unlike Skye, who hallucinates under the Entity's control.

Available to rent or buy on demand.

The Substance (2024)

The Substance is about a much different aspect of fame than what Skye deals with in Smile 2. In Coralie Fargeat's acclaimed body horror movie, Demi Moore plays a popular aerobics instructor who is unceremoniously dumped by her network after she turns 50.

Desperate to reclaim her youth, she indulges in a mysterious new serum that literally creates a younger, more vibrant version of herself, played by Margaret Qualley. The Substance boasts a similar kinetic and fast-paced energy to Smile 2, along with taking the grotesque and amping it up to extreme levels.

Now streaming on Mubi.

The Neon Demon (2016)

A controversial psychological horror film by director Nicolas Winding Refn, The Neon Demon is a stunning film to look at despite some very unsettling content. Elle Fanning stars as 16-year-old Jessie, who wants to become a model. After her parents die, she moves from small-town Georgia to Los Angeles and is immediately thrust into the dangerous yet glamorous world of modeling.

Now streaming on Prime Video.

Starry Eyes (2014)

How far is too far for fame? Sarah is intent on becoming a famous actress, no matter the cost, but her prospects are limited, and no one in her life seems to support her aspirations.

When she lands an audition for a movie produced by a notable Hollywood company with powerful connections, Sarah intends to land the job however she can. The problem is, nothing is quite what it seems, and she must undergo horrific changes to become the leading starlet, unaware of the company's true, sinister intentions.

Now streaming on Peacock, Shudder, Tubi, and AMC+.

Pearl (2022)

Even though Pearl was released after X, it is a prequel to the 1970s-set slasher movie. Mia Goth and director Ti West collaborated again for this movie, following a much younger Pearl, one of the primary antagonists in X.

In Pearl, we see the events that started shaping Pearl into the terrifying woman she would eventually become. Stuck living on an isolated farm with her sick father and cruel mother, Pearl is desperate to break free and pursue her dreams of stardom. When she learns of an opportunity to audition for a dance troupe, Pearl becomes determined to land a role no matter what she has to do to get it.