It turned a smile into a threat, then left theaters still grinning. Ready to let it into your living room?

The grin that rattled theaters in 2022 is headed for your queue. “Smile,” Parker Finn’s psychological chiller about psychiatrist Dr. Rose Cotter unraveling after a bizarre encounter, lands on Hulu on February 16, 2026. Led by Sosie Bacon with support from Kyle Gallner and Jessie T. Usher, it banked over $217 million worldwide and holds an 80 percent critics score with 77 percent from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. A well-reviewed, crowd-pleasing scare machine, it’s primed to unsettle a whole new wave of subscribers.

A chilling arrival: Smile comes to Hulu

Horror fans, brace yourselves. The psychological horror hit Smile, which rattled theaters in 2022, makes its streaming debut on Hulu. On February 16, 2026, subscribers can plunge into its unsettling experience, fueled by nerve-shredding tension, eerie imagery, and word-of-mouth that kept it in the cultural conversation.

The haunting plot that captivated audiences

The story follows Dr. Rose Cotter, a psychiatrist whose life spirals after a baffling encounter with a patient. Played by Sosie Bacon, Rose confronts disturbing phenomena and the chilling smile of a looming curse. Beyond jump scares, the film probes trauma and memory, blurring the boundary between reality and hallucination.

The cast intensifies the dread. Kyle Gallner portrays Joel, a figure from Rose’s past, while Jessie T. Usher and Kal Penn appear as colleagues trying, with mixed success, to support her. Written and directed by Parker Finn, Smile makes an everyday grin feel menacing.

A theatrical triumph

When Smile opened on September 30, 2022, its impact was immediate. Critics and audiences praised its taut, anxious storytelling, reflected in an 80% Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer and a 77% audience score on the platform’s Popcornmeter. Financially, it broke out in a major way, earning over 217 million dollars worldwide and securing its status as one of the year’s standout horror releases.

Parker Finn’s precise direction and layered script resonated even with viewers not typically drawn to horror. Its psychological depth amplified the scares, keeping Smile central to modern horror discussions.

What the Hulu release means

For Hulu subscribers, this is prime time to catch up on a major horror talking point or to revisit it with fresh eyes. The Hulu release gives those who missed theaters a chance to feel its slow-burn dread, while repeat viewers can hunt for foreshadowing and visual clues that heighten the unease.

Streaming continues to connect theatrical hits with home audiences at scale. By bringing Smile to millions of viewers, the platform extends the film’s eerie afterlife, ensuring its disturbing ideas linger long after the screen fades.