You don't need to watch Smile to enjoy Smile 2

The evil smiling entity of our nightmares returns in Parker Finn's excellent follow-up to his 2022 film Smile. Both films were well-received by critics, but many favor the 2024 sequel because it takes everything that made Smile great and amplifies it. Naomi Scott delivers an incredible performance as a struggling pop star who becomes the entity's latest victim.

With Smile 2 now available to rent on demand and stream via Paramount+, countless new viewers will be introduced to the movie for the first time. Given the big red '2' in the title, it'd be hard to miss that this movie is a sequel. I'm sure people who missed the 2022 film will wonder if they need to go back and watch that before checking out Smile 2. I'm here to tell you that you don't have to, even though you should.

The ending of Smile leads directly into the beginning of Smile 2, where we find out what happened to one of the main characters of that movie in the sequel's opening. It's a great scene featuring Kyle Gallner's return as Joel, but all it does is establish how the Smile curse moves from Joel to another character (played by Lukas Gage) and, eventually, the sequel's leading lady, Skye Riley (Scott).

Even if you didn't watch Smile, you'll be able to follow along with the beginning. And once the storyline gets going with Skye, Smile 2 becomes its own thing. You might even enjoy it more if you have not seen the original because the two movies follow a similar story structure, and the various twists and turns will be more surprising.

On the other hand, watching Smile 2 before Smile could set you up to be disappointed when you go back to the original. While still a great horror film, Smile 2 kicks everything from the story, gore, and psychological horrors to another level, meaning the first film might seem a little lackluster in comparison. Then again, you'll understand the beginning of the sequel better.

All in all, it's generally a good idea to watch the first movie before the second, but in the case of Smile 2, you don't have to. You'd be okay just jumping in headfirst to see what all the hype is about.

You'll still have a great time regardless. The good news is that both Smile and Smile 2 are now on Paramount+, so you have everything you need for an epic double feature if you choose to do so!