Why Joel Wasn’t The Main Character Of Smile 2

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Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Smile 2!

Despite appearing in Smile 2, Kyle Gallner’s Joel wasn’t the main character as many had expected, and here’s why. Joel was the only returning main character from the first Smile movie, and due to Kyle Gallner’s star power and role at the end of the original Smile, it was expected that he would be the protagonist of the sequel. However, Smile 2 instead decided to entirely shift away from the cast of the first Smile and focus on an all-new protagonist named Skye Riley, with many wondering why Joel didn’t have a more significant role in the 2024 film.

Kyle Gallner’s character appears in the opening scene of Smile 2, with him still having the Smile Curse six days after the end of Smile. In an attempt to get rid of it, he tries to kill one drug dealer in front of the other, hoping to pass the curse along. However, things go awry when several other characters appear, causing Joel to flee the scene of the crime. While being pursued by the other drug dealers, Joel is hit by an oncoming car and dies. This is the end of Joel’s role in Smile 2.

Parker Finn Wanted Smile 2 To Be Completely Different From Smile

Moving Away From The Original Film

The reason that Joel wasn’t the main protagonist of Smile 2 is that director Parker Finn wanted the sequel to be completely different from the original Smile. The original Smile is much smaller scale, with it focusing on doctors and police officers in a small town. Smile 2, on the other hand, takes place in a massive city and focuses on a world-famous pop star, with Skye Riley’s story being on a much larger scale and completely raising the stakes. Both films have different tones, themes, and styles, with the Smile Entity being their only shared aspect.

Smile 2: What Was Real & What Scenes Didn’t Really Happen

The Smile entity went to new lengths to haunt its host in Smile 2, completely erasing the lines between what was real and what was a hallucination.

In order for Parker Finn to make the two Smile movies completely different, he had to move on from the cast of the original Smile. While having a film with Joel as the protagonist could have been fun, it would have weighed Smile 2 down, forcing it to be more like the original Smile. Putting a few degrees of separation between Rose Cotter and Skye Riley was the right move, as there were very few references to the events of the original Smile outside of Morris’ appearance in Smile 2.

Skye Riley Gave Smile 2 A Blank Slate To Explore

Allowing For A New Type Of Smile Story

Making Naomi Scott’s Skye Riley the protagonist of Smile 2 was the best choice, as it gave the film an entirely blank slate. Hypothetically, Parker Finn could have written Skye Riley to be any type of character that he wanted, with him not being restricted by the events and characters of the original film. For Smile 2 to have its concert setting and themes of fame and pressure, it couldn’t have stuck with the original Smile cast, as that story doesn’t work for the characters who appeared in the first film.

On the other hand, if Smile 2 had made Joel the protagonist, it would have severely limited what Parker Finn could have done with the characters. Skye Riley being a blank slate is juxtaposed with Joel being a well-established character who already had an entire movie of development. Because of this, Parker Finn would have had to stay consistent with Joel’s characterization from the first film, something that he seemingly didn’t want to do. Killing off Joel and moving on was the perfect solution, allowing for a protagonist like Skye Riley to appear.

Joel Still Had To Return For Smile 2

The Sequel Couldn’t Completely Leave Him Out

Although Skye Riley was the protagonist of Smile 2, Joel still had to return in the sequel in some form. This is because the original Smile established that the Smile Curse has to be passed from one character to another. Since Joel became possessed by the Smile Entity at the end of the original film, there was no way that Smile 2 could get around this, with the script having to find a way for the Smile Curse to travel from Joel to Skye Riley.

Smile 2 Skye and drinking a bottle of Voss water

Smile 2’s Voss Water Obsession Hides A Dark Reality For Skye

Smile 2 sees the entity haunting Skye Riley, who was constantly chugging bottles of Voss water, but this hides a tragic reality for her.

Since Joel was a fan-favorite character from the original Smile, some fans would also have been upset if Kyle Gallner’s character didn’t return at all. Smile 2 found the right balance in attempting to move on, as one of the best scenes in the sequel is all about Joel, but it is also the only scene to feature him at all.

Smile 2 is the sequel to the 2022 psychological horror film by director Parker Finn that centers on a therapist who witnesses a patient’s suicide, leading to a series of terrifying supernatural events. The sequel will see the return of Finn as director, with Paramount continuing distribution.

Director: Parker Finn
Release Date: October 18, 2024
Distributor(s): Paramount Pictures
Runtime: 132 minutes

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