People are vowing to watch new horror movie just because of its poster

People are vowing to watch a particular horror movie that’s just been released because of its eerily familiar poster.

Horror fans are raving about a choice made in the ‘clever’ marketing of the new flick.

Smile 2 was brought to cinemas last week and is the second installment in the franchise created by writer and director Parker Finn.

Horror fans say that the marketing for Smile 2 is 'genius' (Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures)

Both films follow a character who has been cursed by a supernatural entity who takes on the appearance of other people ominously smiling.

But one particularly creepy smile that’s being used for the movie posters is recognizable to many people.

That’s because the actor is Ray Nicholson and the smile has a striking resemblance to the one on the posters for the 1980 film, The Shining, which starred Ray’s father - Jack Nicholson.

Fans took to social media to share their approval of the ‘genius’ marketing.

On X, formerly Twitter, one user wrote: “That’s actually great casting.”

A second person said: “Whoever came up with this brilliant casting stunt deserves a raise.”

Another said: “I’m not gonna lie. I saw that and immediately thought, ‘that guy kind of looks like Jack Nicholson’.

“Now I know why and mind blown.”

The marketing bears resemblance to the smile from The Shining (Warner Brothers/Getty Images)

A fourth person commented: “Oh he definitely looks like his dad did on The Shining. Amazing.”

One user said: “Nepo casting is rarely good but Ray Nicholson in Smile 2 is the best nepo casting of all time. This is just insanely iconic.”

And a sixth added: “Clever marketing by the people making Smile 2.

“Using Jack Nicholson’s son on the movie poster making a face eerily similar to his father’s trademark sinister smirk? That’s given me enough intrigue to watch it now even though I hated the first movie.”

Talking to Deadline about his famous dad, Ray said: “We’re very different people. I was born in 1992, he was born in 1937. The things that affect me don’t necessarily affect him. Obviously, I love him. He’s my inspiration.

“I ate dinner with him every night. I studied it, that’s how I learned to be a human being. So, of course we’re gonna be kind of similar.

“As far as talking about it, if he ever did tell me something, I probably wouldn’t investigate it for myself because I’d be like, ‘You’re the best, of course, that’s right,’ and it might not work for me.

“I love him. He’s also my hero. I’m the luckiest kid in the world.”