Tim Hunter's Smiley Face Killers was first announced in 2017 and, after approximately three years of waiting, there's finally an update on the movie's release, cast, and story details. Here's everything we know about Smiley Face Killers so far.
Smiley Face Killers is based on a theory about the real-life smiley face murders that went on from the late 1990s to the 2010s. The killings took place in the Midwest and garnered the attention of law enforcement after the bodies of young men were found. Hunter's movie is based on the theory that these crimes were not committed by one killer, but rather a group of organized murderers who banded together.
Smiley Face Killers is written by Bret Easton Ellis, who is well-known as the author of American Psycho, which was adapted into a feature movie by director Mary Harron in 2000. Ellis is no stranger to crafting stories about unsettling serial killers. The director has his own experience capturing murder mysteries and following a thread of bizarre events with his directing credits for 3 episodes of David Lynch's Twin Peaks. After three years of almost complete silence about the project, Smiley Face Killers will release sooner than expected.
Smiley Face Killers Release Date
Director Tim Hunter officially announced that Smiley Face Killers will release on December 8, 2020. It will not have a theatrical release, presumably as a precaution against the spread of COVID-19, but it will be available on VOD just in time for the winter holidays. This could be a great time for the movie to release due to the fact that the nights are growing longer and the fear of who lurks in the dark is heightened; it's also distanced enough from the numerous October horror movie releases. Also, while horror movies don't tend to be as popular as they are during the Halloween season, people who are still staying at home are often in need of fresh content.
Smiley Face Killers Cast
The entire cast for Smiley Face Killers was revealed in the latest trailer for the movie. Ronen Rubinstein will portray Jake Graham, the main character. Crispin Glover is billed as playing a "Hooded Figure," who may be the leader of the smiley face killings. The actor is known for his role as George McFly in Back to the Future as well as Uncle Julian Blackwood in the recent adaptation of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived In The Castle. Amadeus Serafini from the MTV series Scream will portray Gabriel. The cast of Smiley Face Killers also includes Cody Simpson as Rob, Ashley Rickards as Alana, Mia Serafino as Keren, and Garrett Coffey as Adam.
Smiley Face Killers Story Details
Smiley Face Killers will presumably take place in a Midwestern town or city based on the fact that the real-life murders took place in this part of the United States. The main premise of the movie follows Jake Graham, who believes he is being stalked by a potential murderer. It's likely that the movie was inspired to tell the story from a victim's perspective rather than the killer's. The trailer revealed that there will be several killers; some may be closer to Jake than he expects. Regardless of how Hunter and Ellis choose to tell this true story through the Smiley Face Killers movie, the fact that the killer (or killers) was never caught will surely evoke an unshakeable fear in the audience.