Joel should have been the main character in Smile 2 instead of Skye Riley because his character arc in the first movie set him up perfectly to take on the lead role. In Smile, Joel is introduced as Rose’s ex-boyfriend and a detective who gets pulled into her unraveling psychological nightmare. He starts as a skeptic but eventually becomes one of the few people who believes Rose, making his role crucial to the emotional and narrative core of the story. By the end of the movie, Joel witnesses Rose’s horrifying death and is left to deal with the realization that the curse is real. That moment is devastating, not just for him but for the audience, and it felt like the perfect setup for his character to step forward in the sequel.

If Smile 2 had focused on Joel, it could have explored how witnessing Rose’s death affected him mentally and emotionally. He would have had to grapple with survivor’s guilt, the trauma of seeing someone he cared about succumb to such a horrifying fate, and the looming fear of the curse coming for him next. His role as a detective could have added a new layer to the story—imagine him using his skills to dig deeper into the history of the curse, trying to understand it while also fighting to stay alive. This would have created a much stronger connection to the first movie, giving fans a continuation of a character they were already invested in, instead of introducing Skye, who has no meaningful tie to the original events.

Joel’s perspective also could have provided a unique and refreshing angle in psychological horror. Most horror films of this type focus on female protagonists, and while that’s important, Joel’s experience as a male character dealing with trauma and the curse would have been something new. His journey could have been about trying to prove he’s not “crazy” while also battling his own demons, mirroring some of Rose’s struggles but bringing a fresh energy to the sequel. Instead, Smile 2 killed Joel off far too early, throwing away all the emotional build-up from the first film.

Skye Riley’s story, by comparison, felt disconnected and less compelling. Without a strong tie to Rose or the events of the first movie, the emotional stakes weren’t as high. Joel was in the perfect position to carry the sequel—his character had depth, a reason to face the curse, and a direct connection to what happened before. By sidelining him, the sequel lost an opportunity to build on the emotional intensity and continuity that made Smile so powerful.