Parker Finn
Finn (born March 18, 1987) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for creating the Smile franchise. He wrote and directed the horror films Smile (2022) and its sequel Smile 2 (2024).
Parker Finn
- Name
- Parker Finn
- Born
- 18 March 1987
- Birthplace
- Bath, Ohio, U.S.
- Occupation
- * Film director
- Nationality
- United States
- Fields
- film direction · film screenwriting · film production
- Education
- Revere High School · University of Colorado Boulder · Chapman University · Dodge College of Film and Media Arts
- Languages
- English
Reference Check
Propose documentary evidence for Parker Finn. A contribution is never written directly as fact: identity, source, rights and evidence gates still decide.
Sign in to contribute
World of VALÉORINE
Documentary connections
Only confirmed graph relationships appear here. Images are shown only when their identity and reuse rights both pass the documentary gate.
Documentary evidence
Documentary basis
Authority files
wikidata · Q114415604 · wikipedia · Parker Finn
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Parker Finn • Born — 18 March 1987 • Birthplace — Bath, Ohio, U.S. • Occupation — * Film director • producer • screenwriter • Years Active — 2018–present • Notable Works — Smile Smile 2
Early life
Early life
Finn was born on March 18, 1987, in Bath, Ohio. He attended the University of Colorado Boulder, then attended Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where he received a screenwriting MFA in 2011.
Career
Career
In 2018, Finn wrote and directed the horror short film The Hidebehind, which screened at Panic Fest and the Portland Horror Film Festival in 2019. In 2020, Finn wrote and directed the horror short film Laura Hasn't Slept, which was filmed at Chapman University Dodge College of Film and Media Arts' Stage B. The short won the Special Jury Award at SXSW 2020. In 2022, Finn made his feature film directorial debut with the horror film Smile, which was based on his short film Laura Hasn't Slept (2020). The film premiered at Fantastic Fest on September 22, 2022, and was released in the United States on September 30, 2022 by Paramount Pictures. It became 2022's top grossing original horror film and spawned a franchise. In 2023, Finn entered a multi-year first-look deal with Paramount Pictures to write, produce, and direct additional feature films. That same year, he founded the production company Bad Feeling. In 2024, it was announced that Finn would write and direct the horror film Possession, a remake of the 1981 film. It is scheduled to be released in the United States on June 11, 2027 by Paramount Pictures. Later that year, Finn wrote and directed Smile 2, which was released in the United States on October 18, 2024 by Paramount Pictures.
Filmography
Filmography
Short film • Year — Title — Director — Writer — Producer • 2018 — The Hidebehind • 2020 — Laura Hasn't Slept Feature film Key • Denotes productions that have not yet been released • Year — Title — Director — Writer — Producer — Notes • 2022 — Smile — Film directorial debut • 2024 — Smile 2 • 2027 — Possession — Filming Acting roles • Year — Title — Role — Notes • 2024 — Smile 2 — Photographer • 2025 — The Studio — Himself — Episode: "The War"
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
1987
Parker Finn born.
Text attribution
Licensing
Text attribution
Part of the biographical narrative on this page reuses licensed material. Its origin, revision and licence are recorded here.
The biographical narrative on this page is based on the Wikipedia article Parker Finn, revision 1369150144 (EN edition), by its contributors. VALÉORINE has edited that text and built its own documentary record around it. The reused material is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, and this page's reuse of it is offered under the same licence. Everything else on this page — the chronology, the holdings, the evidence, the plates and the connections — is VALÉORINE's own record. Sources and licences.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Thomas, George. Filmmaker Parker Finn, a Bath native, hopes to scare people with his 'Smile'. Akron Beacon Journal.
- 2.Benson, John. Bath native and horror filmmaker Parker Finn discusses feature debut, 'Smile'. Cleveland.com. September 29, 2022.
- 3.Arp, Dennis. As His Debut Feature Surpasses $200 Million, Parker Finn (MFA '11) Has Lots of Reasons to 'Smile'. Chapman University. Chapman University Newsroom. November 29, 2022.
- 4.Betz, Izzy. Smile: Parker Finn Finding His "True North". Chapman University. September 30, 2022.
- 5.Casady, Megan. Panic Fest Short Film Review: THE HIDEBEHIND (2018). Nightmarish Conjurings. January 30, 2019.
- 6.Hawkins, Andrew. Interview: Parker Finn on 'The Hidebehind'. Trouble City. June 11, 2019.
- 7.Navarro, Meagan. 'Smile' Writer/Director Parker Finn on the Film's Practical Effects and Horror Influences. Bloody Disgusting. September 30, 2022.
- 8.Lang, Brent. Paramount Signs First-Look Deal With 'Smile' Writer and Director Parker Finn. Variety. March 15, 2023.
- 9.Kit, Borys. 'Smile' Filmmaker Parker Finn Launches Genre Production Banner Bad Feeling (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. 2023-10-04.
- 10.Kit, Borys. Robert Pattinson, 'Smile' Filmmaker Parker Finn Team for Remake of '80s Horror Movie 'Possession' (Exclusive). The Hollywood Reporter. June 12, 2024.
- 11.Fuge, Jonathan. Smile 2 Officially Announced by Paramount at CinemaCon. MovieWeb. April 27, 2023.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
reference work
Secondary witnessreference work
Secondary witness
People, houses and institutions
Knowledge graph
People, houses and institutions
Teachers, collaborators, publishers and institutions recorded against this person, each on a stated basis.
Studied at
1- Revere High SchoolOrganisation
Established from a fact already recorded on a verified source.
Further particulars
Held on the record
Further particulars
Open the remaining particulars
Formation and teaching. Finn studied at Revere High School, University of Colorado Boulder, Chapman University and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts. Finn worked in film direction, film screenwriting and film production. He belonged to Directors Guild of America and Writers Guild of America West. Recorded as having studied at Revere High School, University of Colorado Boulder and Chapman University.
Career and activity
Activity and practice
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 25 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Film memorabilia
38,713 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Park Sun-youngPerson
- Park Ye-jinPerson
- Park Yong-haPerson
- Park Yoon-jaePerson
- Parker McKenna PoseyPerson
- Parkpoom WongpoomPerson
- Parmeet SethiPerson
- Parminder NagraPerson
Best supported in this field
For owners
Own a work by Parker Finn?
A specialist will read what you send and tell you what the house can establish, what it cannot, and whether the object is suited to sale. There is no charge and no obligation. The object stays with you throughout; nothing is shipped to us unless it is arranged in writing beforehand.